Arrivals and Departures
by Storywriter55
Summary: There's sadness and pain for the Ellis-Caffreys as they lose a member of their family. Part of the 'Milestones' series (18.2 years)
1. Chapter 1

**Arrivals and Departures**

18.2 years

**Chapter 1**

Neal cranked down the car window a crack to let in some of the cool spring air as he took in his surroundings. He could see a few farms off in the distance and some cattle by the side of the road that appeared to fly by him at a good clip as he travelled along the Yankee Expressway. The road was familiar by now; after all, he'd driven it throughout all four seasons over the past year on his weekly excursions. It was a quick and easy drive from White Plains, no more than 45 minutes, especially on Saturday mornings which was now his custom. He could see the state line up ahead and crossed over into Connecticut as he looked back in his rear view mirror, temporarily leaving New York State behind.

He never knew what he'd find at the other end; some days were good, others not so much and he hoped he'd have a nice visit today. There was a lot happening at home what with Sara preparing to go out of town for a week and Liam's birthday coming up – but his weekly outing was sacrosanct and he smiled to himself as he thought of the loving face which was waiting for him at the other end.

He passed the city limits and grinned at the sign: 'Welcome to Danbury, the Hat City'. His destination was right on the outskirts of town and Neal spotted the large brick building as he took the final bend in the road. Parking was not much of an issue at this time of day and he managed to find a spot near the front door, right next to the beautiful sprawling garden which was beginning to bloom with colorful tulips and bright yellow daffodils. The air was cool but the sun was gaining strength on this late May morning and Neal could feel its warmth on his back as he reached into the backseat of the car to grab the large bouquet of flowers he'd brought with him, as he'd done every single week for the past year.

He walked past the sign for the 'Marigold Seniors Home' and waved to the gardener who was tending to the lush garden.

'Beautiful day!' Neal said in greeting

'It certainly is!' responded the older man with a heavy Mexican accent

Neal strolled into the lobby, with its well-appointed sitting rooms; a trio of residents were playing backgammon at a table and a small group was gathered to watch the news on a large screen television while others sat in clusters, chatting and having a cup of tea. A group of women sat busily knitting and one of them piped up as she saw Neal saunter by.

'Mr. Caffrey' she said, her voice shaky

'Mrs. Dixon! How are you, today?' Neal responded as he made his way over to the group of ladies

He leaned in and placed a small peck on her cheek as the woman blushed in response; it was a routine now and she never let him slip by without getting him to stop and deliver a kiss. Neal was still a gorgeous looking guy by any standards - being in his mid-fifties hadn't changed that - and the octogenarian loved having his undivided attention albeit for just a fleeting moment once a week.

'Is that for your new great-granddaughter?' he asked, looking down at the tiny booties she was knitting

'Yes, my granddaughter is coming by tomorrow and she's bringing the baby – Tiffany – now who names a baby after a lamp?' she said, laughing as she addressed the other women of the quartet

'I'm sure she's beautiful' said Neal, always the charmer

'Did your friend like the sweater I knitted for her baby?' she asked

'She loved it! As a matter of fact, we were over there just last week, and little Beatrice was wearing it. You do impeccable work, Mrs. Dixon' he said with a wink as he prepared to continue on his way

'See you next week!' she called out as the other women giggled – the giggle of teenagers and of 80-year-old women who suddenly found themselves in the proximity of a gorgeous man who had just paid them some attention

Neal made his way to the elevator and pressed the button, his thoughts wandering once more. Although there was _some_ joy and laughter at Marigold, there was also a lot of pain and suffering and it was difficult for him to witness the many arrivals and departures_ – final_ departures as residents left in ambulances, most often never to return.

He stepped off the elevator on the fifth floor and spotted Vanessa right down the hall, making notes on a chart just outside room 522. She saw him coming from a distance and put down her pen, turning to greet him.

'Good morning!' she said 'You know, I could almost set my watch by your arrival time every Saturday morning'

Neal grinned. 'Don't want to keep my girl waiting. How is she today?'

'She had a rough night. She's been asking for you although she's not very coherent. The doctor is talking about having her admitted to hospital' said Vanessa

'You're kidding; is it that bad?' Neal asked, his smile disappearing

'She's not very responsive at times and that mini-stroke she had last week has left her really weak on the left side. I'm afraid it might be just too much for her to come back from' the young woman said

Neal sighed. It had been a long time coming but he'd continued to hope against hope that things would get better.

'Look, go in and have your visit and stop by and see me before you leave, okay? I'll fill you in' she said, touching his arm

He nodded and opened the door, noting it was still dark inside the room. He made his way to the bed and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

'Good morning, June' he whispered softly

She lay on the bed, unresponsive, sleeping the deep sleep of the elderly who have been heavily sedated. Neal made his way to the window as he continued to speak to her, unsure if she could hear him.

'What do you say we let in some of that beautiful sunlight, huh?' he said as he pulled back the curtains

'I was lucky – I got your favorites today: lilies. Aren't they pretty?' he continued

'Let's get rid of these' he said as he went to the small table nearby, removing the flowers he'd brought the week before and going into the adjoining bathroom to rinse out the beautiful crystal vase and get rid of the wilting blooms.

He filled the vase up with fresh, clean water and returned to the room to place the new bouquet in its receptacle, turning to face the woman who was the closest thing he'd ever known to a mother. Her eyes were open a slit and her face lit up as she smiled at him.

'Oh, Byron, you're here' she said, her voice small

He sat by the side of the bed and took her hand in his. Lately, she'd been more and more confused; some days, she would recognize him and ask about Sara and the kids but other times, she would just smile, seemingly not recognizing him at all. As of late, she had taken to calling him Byron and to simply gaze up lovingly at him. At first, Neal had been distraught by the behavior and he'd tried to bring her back to reality, reminding her of who he was but that just seemed to upset her even more and after a while, he didn't have the heart to correct her, preferring to just hold her hand and listen to what she had to say.

'Darling, I'm so tired. I really think we need a holiday' she said, her eyes confused

'Oh, yeah?' answered Neal 'Where do you want to go?'

'I think we should go back to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. We had such a good time there last year' she said, continuing with her delusion

'That sounds great' Neal said, squeezing her hand, a lump forming in his throat

WCWCWC

Hope Ellis-Caffrey stood in the backroom of the Raphael Gallery admiring the painting produced by one of her best students. The Saturday afternoon art class had just ended and she'd been tidying up when she suddenly stopped to examine the canvas – a beautiful rendition of a country landscape. She was totally smitten with the piece, her attention captivated and she didn't hear Cameron Armstrong come up quietly behind her. She let out a small gasp as he sidled up to her, lacing his arms around her waist and placing a small kiss on her neck.

'Wow! That kid's got talent' he said as his eyes rose to take in the canvas

'She's amazing. Would you believe she's only twelve years old!' agreed Hope as she leaned back into her boyfriend's arms, feeling his strong, lean body against hers

'So, ready to take a break?' he asked, holding her tight

'Yeah, I'm starved. Is Max here yet?' she asked

'Yup. He says he's good on his own if we want to take an hour for lunch' answered Cameron, letting go of her waist and turning her around to look into her eyes

He placed his hand on her chin, forcing her to look up as he placed a long, lingering kiss on her lips. Hope gazed up at him, mesmerized; she was totally enamored with him and had been since the day he'd walked into the gallery over a year ago. The couple had been an item almost since day one and over the past year, their relationship had blossomed as they continued to work together and spend most of their free time in each other's company. At first, Neal and Sara had been concerned about the age difference between them but they had proven themselves to be a very stable, level-headed young couple and the Caffreys had learned to appreciate Cameron's steady presence in their daughter's life.

'Why don't you and I go back to _my_ place for lunch?' he said, continuing to place small kisses along Hope's jaw

'Because if we go back to _your_ place...' she said, eyes closed as she enjoyed the moment '...we won't eat'

He laughed, realizing she was right – at the moment, he had other things than a club sandwich on his mind.

Dessert would just have to wait until later.

WCWCWC

'So, do you want us to pick you up on the way to the airport?' Sara asked

She and Lydia Jordan were on their way to a week-long conference in Chicago, representing Sterling Bosh at a 'best practices' symposium for large insurance companies. Lydia was Sara's brightest and most promising insurance investigator and she'd also become a good friend over the past couple of years as the women bonded inside and outside of the office.

'That'd be great. Sam won't have to take Bea out' she responded at the other end of the phone

'Oh, and Neal wants me to tell you that Sam and the baby are welcome for dinner while we're gone. He mentioned Tuesday night' Sara said

'I'll pass the invitation along. I'm sure he'll appreciate the company. I know how claustrophobic it can get to be alone with a baby all day, let alone for a full week!' Lydia responded, thinking back to the six months she'd taken off work after her daughter's arrival.

At 14 months, Beatrice Sara Jordan was a beautiful baby, full of life; chattering away and running around with boundless energy and an irrepressible giggle. The Caffreys loved having their goddaughter over to their house to visit and lately, Hope had taken to babysitting for the Jordans whenever they needed a break.

'So, we'll be there to pick you up at about 2:30; that'll give us lots of time to check in' said Sara

'I'll be ready' answered her friend

Sara hung up the phone and glanced over at Liam who was lying on the couch nearby, uncharacteristically listless and staring blankly at the television which was tuned to a gardening show on PBS. He certainly couldn't be paying attention to that, thought Sara, and she walked over to her son, sitting on the edge of the couch and touching his forehead with the back of her hand.

'You okay, sweetie?' she asked of her twelve year old

He just looked at her, glassy-eyed and shrugged.

'Are you coming down with something?' she asked, running her hand through his hair

He had to be; Liam Caffrey was not the type to let his mom run her fingers through his hair, not unless he was feeling really, really rough.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Neal watched in silence as June slept. She'd chatted with him for a few minutes but even that had seemed like too much of an effort and after a few brief exchanges, she had slipped back into a restless slumber. Her situation had really deteriorated over the past few weeks; she'd gone from one of the most active residents of Marigold to a woman who never left her bed. She'd been refusing to eat now for over a week and she had become more and more confused as time went on. Her latest stroke was not her first – and her health was declining at a dizzying pace.

Neal had been in regular contact with June's two daughters and four grand-daughters; they had set up a schedule, ensuring that she had a visit at least every second day and Neal was more than happy to spend his Saturdays with the woman he'd grown to love so much. June's oldest daughter, Marion, lived in Europe, in Nice to be exact, and she'd made two trips back to see her mother over the past six months; her other daughter, Lorna, lived out in California but she'd moved back to New York recently to be with her mom and Neal had been in constant touch with her, comparing notes and making sure June didn't want for anything. Cindy was married now with two grown kids of her own and she visited weekly as did two of June's other granddaughters.

As difficult as it was to watch June's health deteriorate before his very eyes, Neal had never doubted for a moment that he needed to be by her side, no matter what. If she left Marigold, he was afraid she would never return and he hated to think of June finishing out her days in a cold, sterile environment like a hospital. He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, noticing a small smile on her face; whatever dream she was having was a welcome respite from the constant torment she suffered while she was awake.

He found Vanessa, June's primary caregiver, at the nurses' station and the two of them made their way to a small meeting room nearby as they settled in to have a chat.

'The doctor is coming by later today' she said '...and I'm going to recommend we move Ms Ellington to a hospital in New York'

Neal stared, desolate, as he reacted to the news.

'We just don't have the services here to properly meet her needs' continued Vanessa 'That last stroke she had was the last straw – and as you can see, she's more and more confused'

Neal nodded. 'She thought I was Byron' he said softly

'I have to be honest with you. I can't see her lasting very long in this state. She's had a long and happy life' said the young woman

Despite her 93 years, Neal still thought of June as a strong, resilient woman and he hated to think that the end of her life was in sight. She'd been a constant and loving presence in his life for going on 25 years - ever since that day she took a chance on the newly-released ex-convict whom she'd chanced to meet at a thrift shop. Her faith in Neal had never wavered – even when he didn't have faith in himself – and he credited her with bringing him to a point in his life where he could make good choices for his future.

'When would they move her, do you think?' he asked

'Probably on Monday. We'll let you know and I'll talk to June's daughters as well' the young woman said

She saw the sadness in Neal's eyes and she suddenly felt compelled to comfort him.

'She loves you very much, you know' she said 'She talks about you all the time; how proud she is of what you've done with your life – your wife, your kids, your art gallery...'

Neal couldn't help but smile – of course June would be proud. She'd stood by him every step of the way and although she had wanted to help him out financially over the years, she'd understood that he wanted to make a go of it on his own and she'd respected his decision to turn down her offer of financial support. Neal loved her even more because of that.

Neal stood to leave, struggling to keep his emotions in check. Vanessa stood as well, touching his arm and Neal instinctively reached out to give her a hug. She'd been wonderful with June since her arrival at Marigold, always supportive of the family and caring and loving towards her elderly patient.

'I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for... my mom' he said, surprising himself with the words as they spilled out spontaneously

'It's been a joy' she said simply as she hugged him back

Neal couldn't control himself any longer and he turned to leave. He made his way back down to the lobby, avoiding eye contact, just needing to make it out to the car as fast as he possibly could. Once he'd finally made it safely behind the wheel, he allowed himself to fall apart and he began to cry like a baby.

WCWCWC

'Hey, you two lovebirds' Peter called out as he peeked around the door jamb of the back room of the gallery

'Uncle Peter!' said Hope, surprised and slightly embarrassed to be caught in a clinch with her boyfriend

'Just wanted to let you know I'm doing some work here this afternoon so if you want to take the rest of the day off, I can give Max a hand if it gets busy' he said

Peter had been working at the gallery for over a year now, as Neal and Sara's silent business partner. He did the book-keeping and all tasks of an administrative nature while Neal concentrated on the creative side of the business. It was a match made in heaven – almost as wonderful as their partnership at the Bureau had been all those years before. This time, though, it was Neal calling the shots and Peter was learning to bite his tongue and let Neal make the decisions; after all, that was the deal they had struck when they'd agreed on their partnership and he was hell-bent on sticking to it.

'Are you sure?' asked Hope, with a frown

'Perfectly! Now go, enjoy the beautiful day!' answered Peter

Cam and Hope exchanged longing looks; they'd enjoy the day alright, but they would be indulging in indoor activities.

WCWCWC

Neal made his way home, slowly this time. He needed to work through his feelings and he drove, listening to music and crying softly, not censoring how he felt or why he was feeling that way. June had been an important part of his life for so long and he couldn't imagine a world where she would no longer be there.

As he neared White Plains, he began to collect himself. He was returning home to his life, his _wonderful_ life, the one he still couldn't quite believe was really his. Sara was going away for a week, an unusual occurrence, and he knew he was going to miss her; she was his rock and he could always count on her to be there for him, no questions asked. He would just have to muddle through the next few days without her by his side.

He thought about the week ahead; a week of keeping the home fires burning, of being a single dad to two busy kids. Luckily, Hope could drive herself anywhere she needed to go and he could count on her and Cam to help out, if need be. Liam, on the other hand, still needed to be chauffeured around town to school functions and to his social activities and he still needed reminding when it came to checking his blood sugar and monitoring his diabetes. Although he did reasonably well at keeping himself in check, Sara was always there with constant reminders to make sure their son was staying healthy; Neal would have to pay particular attention to that in the coming week.

Sleeping alone in their bed was another thing Neal hated to do; in their 17 years of married life, Neal and Sara hadn't spent very many nights apart and that was the way Neal liked it. He'd spent so many nights alone when he was in prison and when he and Sara had first gotten together, he'd hated it when she slipped out while he slept leaving him to find his bed empty and cold the next morning. There was just something about sharing a bed that was so warm and intimate. It had nothing to do with the great sex they regularly had while they were curled up between the sheets – okay, well maybe it had a little bit to do with that. But more importantly, their bed was their secret refuge, the place where Neal and Sara had their most intimate and private discussions – where they spoke in whispers about their children, their jobs, their hopes, their dreams and where they made plans for the future, silence enveloping them as they shared their deepest thoughts and desires.

WCWCWC

Hope fell back on the bed with a big, satisfied grin on her face. Sex was still a new experience for her and she and Cam had been having an awful lot of fun exploring this new adventure together. Cameron shared a small apartment near the university with his schoolmate and workmate Max Villier, an exchange student from France. The young man had moved to New York to study art and he'd been matched with Cameron through the student office at NYU. Max was quiet and kept to himself and whenever he wasn't around, Hope and Cameron would take advantage of the situation and spend some quality, one on one time with each other.

They still remembered the unfortunate incident when her parents had arrived early from their date night to find the young lovers deep in the throes of passion on the family room couch. Hope had been horrified and Cam totally embarrassed as Neal and Sara walked in unexpectedly; ever since that night, they had agreed to limit their extra-curricular activities to Cam's apartment where they wouldn't be interrupted. What they didn't realize was that the encounter had been just as horrifying for Neal and Sara and except for the requisite talk about birth control and STD's, her parents had never mentioned the awkward moment again.

'So, what do you want to do tonight?' asked Cam, his lanky length turning in the bed to face her

'I don't know. Movie?' she asked

'We did that last night' he said, kissing the tip of her nose 'How about we join up with the rest of gang and go for a drink'

Hope looked at her boyfriend; it _sounded_ like a lot of fun but this was exactly where their age difference came into play. Hope was underage for drinking in New York State whereas all of Cam's friends from university were legal; whenever they went out together, she sat nursing a soda and always ended up feeling like a bump on a log.

'Okay' she relented, thinking of that fake ID a friend of Cam's had given her a few months back.

She was tired of being dependable, level-headed Hope – a few drinks might be fun after all.

WCWCWC

Neal made his way into the house wondering why it was so quiet for a Saturday afternoon. He called out for Sara who answered from upstairs and Neal followed the sound of her voice; he found her packing for her trip, noticing the door to Liam's bedroom was closed.

'What's up with Liam?' he asked, pointing to his son's room

'He's sleeping; he's really not feeling well' Sara answered as she looked up from her suitcase

'What's wrong?' Neal asked, concern apparent on his face

'I'm not sure, a cold or flu maybe; all I know is he's running a fever' she said sitting on the bed next to where Neal had plopped down

She noticed her husband's eyes were red and his demeanour not quite as cheerful as usual and she put an arm around his shoulder, leaning in to get a good look at his face.

'Are you _sure_ you're okay with me going away?' she asked, wondering why he looked so forlorn

'Of course' he said with his phony Caffrey smile which didn't fool her anymore – not even one little bit

'Is it June?' she asked

The mention of her name seemed to reignite those feelings he thought he'd worked through on the drive back and his eyes filled again with new, unshed tears.

'Oh, honey, what's wrong?' she asked as she pulled him in closer

'They're going to move her to a hospital. It doesn't look good, Sara' he answered, his voice breaking

'I didn't realize it was that bad; I'm sorry Neal, I should have gone with you' she said, rubbing his shoulder

Neal often had Sara by his side when he paid June her weekly visit; other times, one of the kids would tag along - more often Liam, who was very attached to his Grandma June.

'It's okay; you couldn't have known' he said sadly, looking into her eyes

'Oh, Neal. Do you want me to cancel my trip?' she asked sincerely. If he needed her, it was a no-brainer; she was more than willing to stay behind.

'No. We don't know how long this is going to last. Go; you've been talking about this trip for weeks now' he said, turning to face his wife and running his hand up and down her arm

'But, it means nothing if you need me here' she responded

He smiled through his tears; he knew that she would willingly forego this trip to stay with him if he asked her to. But this was a big deal for Sara; she was one of the keynote speakers at the national conference and she'd be showcasing the mentoring program she'd set up at Sterling Bosch – a new and innovative way of retaining quality staff and bringing them up the ranks.

'I'll be fine' he insisted, getting a grip on his emotions 'I_ want _you to go and I want you to knock 'em dead!'

She smiled back at him; he was all she'd ever wanted even when she hadn't had a clue what she'd wanted and she tenderly kissed his cheek, then the other as she realized once again what a truly wonderful man he was.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Liam Caffrey had been eleven years old when he was first diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. He'd been left in the care of his uncle Mozzie while his parents were out of town and he'd collapsed on the floor of the gym in the middle of a basketball game - to his godfather's utter consternation. Sara, especially, had been horrified at the notion; her grandmother had died of complications from the disease and the little girl had never forgotten how much her Nana had suffered. Sara didn't want that for her little boy and despite being reassured that Liam could live a full and happy life with the proper care, she had been the one to dote on him continuously since the moment he was diagnosed.

Almost two years later, Liam had learned to deal with most of the day to day issues related to his condition. He had a bit of a 'rock star' status at Ridgemont Middle School and some of the cute girls would sit around and watch in awe as he tested his blood sugar levels in the cafeteria at lunchtime. Liam took it all in stride; he was an easygoing kid to start with and having to deal with a serious illness had forced him to roll with the punches.

Sara was always there, though, reminding him to check his levels, asking him what he'd eaten and when and generally overseeing the management of his disease on a daily basis.

She opened the door to his room and stepped in quietly to check on him; she knew that having the flu could lead to dangerous consequences for people with diabetes. The patient needed to drink and eat at regular intervals and blood sugar levels needed to be monitored every few hours to make sure things were okay.

'Honey?' she whispered as she stood over him and gently ruffled his hair

'Hmmmph' he responded as he reluctantly came to

'I need you to drink some of this juice, okay? And I need to check your levels again' she said, sitting on the edge of his bed

'Again?' he said, groggily. All he wanted to do was sleep.

'Afraid so, sweetie. Can you sit up for me?' she responded

Liam groaned loudly as he pushed himself up to sit in the bed. Sara gave him a small sip of juice and proceeded to take a sample using his glucose meter which sat waiting on his bedside table. Liam didn't react in the least; he was used to feeling the small prick on his fingertip and he didn't give it a second thought. Keeping his blood sugar levels on an even keel was particularly important when he was sick; any changes to his usual routine had an impact on his levels and could lead to disastrous consequences if not kept in check.

Once the task was completed, she gave her son a kiss on the forehead and covered him up with his duvet which Liam immediately melted into, thankful to be left alone.

'I'll be back in a little while; ring if you need anything' she reminded him, pointing to the shiny little bell the kids had used (and overused) every time they'd been sick since they were toddlers.

Liam mumbled something unintelligible and turned over in the bed, grateful to be left to continue his nap. Sara sat there, looking at him for a moment; she loved him so much and she couldn't bear the thought of anything ever happening to him. He'd been their miracle baby and she'd always felt he was like a mirage; she lived in fear that he would somehow disappear as magically as he'd appeared in their lives. After a few moments of just plain staring, she stood to leave, closing the door gently behind her.

Sara made her way downstairs enjoying the eerie quiet in the house; Hope was out with Cam and it would be just her and Neal for dinner, which was unusual. She took the last step off the stairs and heard a soft sound coming from the dining room: there was Neal putting the final touches on a gourmet meal for two. He looked up and gave her a wide grin as she reacted to what he'd done.

'What's all this?' she said looking very pleased

'I thought we could have a nice dinner, just the two of us. Just because we can't go out doesn't mean we can't have our date night. This way, we can keep an eye on Liam at the same time' he answered, looking rather proud of himself

'Thinking outside the box, huh Caffrey?' she said, as she came up behind him to give him a warm hug

'Like I said, there's always another way' he whispered as he kissed her lips

'So, how is he?' he asked when he finally came up for air

'He had a bit of juice and he went right back to sleep. His eyes were glassy, though. His blood sugar seems okay but, honey, you really need to keep an eye on that while I'm gone, okay?' she said as she sat down at the beautifully set table.

Neal gave her an exasperated look; it was true he didn't cope as well as she did when the kids were sick but he could certainly handle things for a few days if he was called upon to do so. Neal hated to see anyone he cared about suffering and he tended to shy away when the kids were sick but he didn't want his wife worrying and he leaned in to look into her eyes, making sure he had her full attention.

'I can _do_ this' he said, taking her hand 'You go and enjoy the conference'

'Have you made plans to meet up with Emily while you're there?' he asked trying to get her focussed on something other than their ailing son

'Well, they've got us working pretty well non-stop but we have some free time on Wednesday night and she's invited Lydia and me over for dinner at her place' Sara answered

'That'll be nice' said Neal 'You'll finally get to see her apartment'

She nodded. They both took a bite of the amazing lasagna Neal had concocted and after a moment, Sara looked up at her husband.

'Thanks Neal!' she said with a goofy smile

'For what?' he asked, acting all coy

'For this. For everything'

WCWCWC

The bar that Cameron Armstrong and his university friends frequented most often was located just a few blocks over from his apartment. The Lazy Hole was a small bar which catered to locals, mostly college students who didn't have much in the way of disposable income; the beer was cheap and the pool tables old and weathered but it was a perfectly good place to spend a couple of hours in the company of friends. Cam and his buddies would usually have a couple of beers and shoot a few games while they discussed politics and art. On weekends, they usually included their girlfriends and the girls tended to sit by the bar and chit chat while the guys played pool in the back room. Hope enjoyed the company of Cam's friends, they were welcoming and friendly and she had quite a bit in common with them considering most of them were art majors and shared her passion for producing beautiful art.

On this particular Saturday night, she found herself in the company of Jennifer Lawson and Wanda Saunders, two of Cam's classmates from NYU. Hope particularly enjoyed Wanda's company; she was a true original from the way she dressed to the art she produced and Hope loved her free and easy outlook on life. Hope was an original herself – a very level-headed, responsible young lady who embodied the best of both of her parents: Sara's strength and perseverance and Neal's sensitivity and unrelenting joy for life. It made for a deadly combination at times but Hope was a kind and loving soul and that usually got her out of any situation she might find herself in. Cameron was her first serious boyfriend and the one she'd chosen to give herself to and she was enjoying the romance and the fact that Cam reminded her a lot of her dad: sensitive and loving.

'You okay if I go shoot a couple of games of pool?' Cam asked as he pinned her body against the bar

'Sure. Have fun!' Hope responded, giving him a good luck kiss and sending him on his way

She watched as he sauntered away, his tall, lanky body moving flawlessly and she checked out his cute ass, not for the first time, as he disappeared from view. Although he was a sweet and loving boyfriend, he was also a cutie and Hope was thrilled to have him in her life.

'So what are we drinking, girls?' she asked as she turned and flashed her fake ID

'Margaritas!' answered the girls in unison

WCWCWC

Sara sat with her hands covering her face as she and Neal snuggled on the couch watching an old Hitchcock movie. She was always brave and fearless when she _chose_ the movie but inevitably as the tension built, she would turn down the volume until it was barely audible and start to watch the scary scenes through her trembling fingers. Neal watched in amusement; it was always the same thing yet his wife insisted on watching these thrillers. Despite her undisputed strength of character and no-nonsense personality, she could be such a suck and Neal decided to have a little fun.

'BOO!' he yelled loudly, causing Sara to let out a piercing shriek

'You bastard!' she shouted as she hit him playfully

'You're so damn predictable' he answered, laughing 'Why did you even pick this movie in the first place?'

'I like it… up until this part' she said, giggling and pushing Neal down on the couch

He responded immediately by pulling her in, taking full advantage of the situation.

'Well let me _protect_ you' he whispered lewdly in her ear as he began to unbutton her blouse

'Stop it' she yelled, half-heartedly 'you think you're going to make fun of me like that and then, have your way with me?'

'Huh, huh' he answered, completely ignoring her and continuing on his quest to get her naked

Sara gazed at Neal, his blue eyes shiny and bright and she realized how lucky she was to have him in her life, keeping her grounded and down to earth. She had a tendency to get very serious, very fast and Neal's playfulness kept her from becoming too much of a straight-laced 'so and so'.

Neal continued to undress his wife, pulling her up on top of him and enjoying the closeness and intimacy of her body pressed against his. Laughter was always a great way to bring down her defenses and he enjoyed watching the oh-so-serious Sara Ellis fall victim to his charms, even after all these years. They were obviously enjoying the moment, oblivious to Barbara Stanwyck emoting on the screen, when Sara suddenly got her wits about her.

'Neal! Hope'll be home soon. Do you really want her to find us like this?' she asked, recalling the incident a while back when they had walked in on the younger couple

Neal came to his senses; he'd been horrified to find Cam and Hope going at it and he sure as hell didn't want to suffer the same fate. He pushed Sara off him and suddenly sat up straight.

'No!' he said, sounding like a guilty teenager whose parents were about to walk in

A naughty smile appeared on his face as he added 'Upstairs?'

They stood, both of them giggling like a couple of kids when they suddenly heard the front door open.

'Hope?' Sara called out, buttoning up her blouse

'Sort of...' answered Cam, a most unusual response if ever there was one

Neal and Sara looked at each other, puzzled, and watched in consternation as Cameron came into view looking very guilty with a passed out Hope slung over his shoulder.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

'Are you sure she's okay?' Sara asked as she swept away a tendril of Hope's hair from her forehead

Cam had gently put her down on the couch and Sara hovered as she took in the sight of the usually responsible young adult who was her daughter. Hope's breath smelled wicked; it was obvious she'd emptied the contents of her stomach - at least once. Her hair was plastered to her forehead in a most unbecoming fashion and Sara knew her daughter would be horrified to be seen by her boyfriend in this state - if only she were conscious. She ran her hand over her face, lovingly wiping the spittle at the corner of her mouth.

'The girls said she had about five or six margaritas and she was really smashed by the time I got back from shooting a few games of pool' he said, embarrassed

Although Hope was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, Neal had made it clear on more than one occasion that he expected Cameron to look out for his daughter who was known to act impulsively on occasion (where she got that from, he wasn't sure). Neal glared at the young man who was his protégé and who had shown himself to be a caring boyfriend to his baby girl.

'How could you let this happen, Cam?' he couldn't help but saying, his voice betraying his disappointment

'We go to that bar all the time, Mr. Caffrey. And she always has a few sodas while I shoot some pool... I don't know why she decided to drink tonight' he said, obviously feeling horrible at the way things had played out

'It's not your fault, Cam' said Sara, glaring at Neal 'She's old enough to know what she's doing'

'Well, she threw up twice – including once in my car – so I figure she's got most of it out of her system' Cam added sheepishly

Hope lay there, unresponsive, obviously a rookie at this drinking thing and now that they had been reassured that she wasn't suffering from alcohol poisoning, Neal's feelings morphed from concern to annoyance at how stupid and irresponsible she'd been.

'I'm really sorry. I know you count on me to keep an eye on Hope and usually she's...' Cam stopped as he looked down at his girlfriend lying there.

Neal shrugged, letting him know that he was well aware, more than anyone else, that no one could make Hope Ellis-Caffrey do anything she didn't want to do – or stop her from doing something stupid when she set her mind to it.

Cam moved in closer and placed a gentle kiss on Hope's forehead before retreating.

'I'll call and see how she's doing in the morning' he muttered, preparing to leave

'Thanks for bringing her home safe' Sara said as she stood to walk him out

Neal just stared down at his little girl and shook his head in disbelief. She was just like her mom, so stubborn and pig-headed; anger and disappointment flared at the thought of her irresponsible behavior. Sara made her way back and leaned over, trying to rouse Hope from her stupor.

'Hope, honey, wake up' she insisted as Hope groaned in response

She let out a most unfeminine snort as she half-heartedly pushed her mom away.

'Leave her' said Neal, uncharacteristically unsympathetic 'She got herself in this state, she can bloody well spend the night on the couch in her smelly clothes'

WCWCWC

'Who was that, calling so late?' Sara asked as Neal returned to their bedroom after talking on the phone

'It was Lorna. She talked to the staff at Marigold and they confirmed they're moving June to the Mt Sinai's palliative care unit on Monday' he said, looking haggard

Neal was worried about how June would react to the move; lately, she'd been easily upset whenever her routine was disrupted and now she'd have to adapt to a new environment and new staff. Her mind was muddled and she didn't have the clear head she'd had even just a few weeks before; Neal didn't want her going through this alone.

'Maybe you can go along and get her settled at the hospital' suggested Sara

'I might do that - depending on how Liam's feeling. Do you think we should bring him to the clinic before you leave tomorrow?' Neal asked as he sat on the edge of the bed

She shrugged. 'Let's see how his night goes and if his fever keeps rising'

'What was it the last time you checked?' Neal asked as he began to undress

'101.8' she answered, turning to face him 'Can you set the alarm for 3:00, I want to get up and check his blood levels'

'Really?' Neal asked as he began to clue in to the precariousness of Liam's condition

'Neal, you're going to have to do this too - at least until he starts eating normally again' she reminded him

He nodded in response; Liam's condition could not be taken lightly and he needed to rise to the occasion despite his ongoing concern for June and her predicament. He thought of his usually responsible daughter lying drunk on the couch and prayed she'd get back to her old self again and lend a hand – it was shaping up to be a particularly eventful week.

'As if that's not enough, we have to worry about our perfect child who's lying in a drunken stupor on our couch' he added, looking defeated

'I'm sure she won't do _that_ again' said Sara as she welcomed her husband into bed

Neal shook his head in disapproval; he was still pissed off at Hope's lack of judgement – and at Cam for not keeping a better eye on her. He shook it off and settled into bed, looking at his wife who was staring back with a look of concern.

'Hi' Neal said, looking fondly at Sara, his brain finally beginning to slow down

'Hmmph' she laughed

'I'm going to miss you' he said tenderly as he ran his hand along her cheek

'Good' she said with a smile 'You know what they say - absence makes the heart grow fonder'

He settled back and opened his arms and Sara snuggled up against his chest as she did almost every night of her life. She felt safe and secure as if nothing could hurt her and she let out a long, slow sigh as Neal laughed in response.

'What's that all about?' he asked, jostling her

'Nothing. It's just that nothing can get to me when I'm lying here in bed with you' she answered dreamily

'That's nice' he said wistfully 'I feel the same way'

'What do you say we shut out this crazy world for awhile?' he asked, kissing her neck and making his intentions clear

'That sounds great' she responded in agreement

WCWCWC

The sun came up with a vengeance on Sunday morning and Neal reluctantly opened his eyes to check the time. It was already 8:00 and there was much to do; Sara's flight was at four o'clock and he needed to get her and Lydia to the airport in plenty of time. He looked over at Sara who was sleeping soundly; she'd been up to check on Liam twice during the night, returning to bed and reporting that all was well. He wanted to let her sleep a little longer and he slipped out of bed quietly and closed their bedroom door behind him. The door to Liam's room was open and he spied his son sleeping restlessly. It was his turn to look in on him.

'Hey buddy' he said gently as he made his way to the side of the bed 'How are you feeling?'

Liam opened one eye to look at his dad 'I'd feel a lot better if you guys let me sleep for more than one hour at a time' he moaned

Neal laughed in response. He made his way to the washroom to get a wet facecloth and a fresh glass of water and returned to his side.

'So, you know the drill' he said as he reached for the thermometer 'Let's start with your temperature'

Satisfied that his fever hadn't spiked, he moved to the glucose meter and prepared a lancet. Neal hated drawing the drop of blood and was secretly thankful that Liam usually carried out the procedure by himself but he cowboyed up and prepared to take the sample as Liam lay impassive.

He put the strip into the monitor and stared bleary-eyed – squinting because he'd left his reading glasses in the other room. '4.3' he read, noting that was on the low side – Neal knew that his fasting levels should be closer to 5 and he looked at his son with concern.

'Have a sip of juice, okay?' he said, not waiting for a response and bringing the glass of OJ up to his mouth

Liam reluctantly took a sip.

'And you're going to have to sit up and eat a little. How do pancakes sound?' Neal asked

Liam nodded with a small smile – he usually loved his dad's blueberry pancakes.

'With blueberries?' he asked, barely a whisper

'With blueberries' Neal responded as he ruffled his hair

He gave Liam a short reprieve, telling him to rest until he returned with food and he made his way down the stairs, suddenly remembering that Hope was camped out on the couch, foul breath and all. He glanced over at her, noting her moving in her sleep at the sound of his footsteps and he proceeded to get started on breakfast, grabbing eggs and milk from the fridge and taking out a bowl and some dishes. She stirred and he thought he saw her briefly open her eyes before he returned to the task at hand.

Hope finally sat up, groggy, and took in her surroundings; trying to remember what the hell she was doing fully clothed on the couch with the sun coming up. Her head was pounding, her eyes were burning and she had the worse taste she'd ever had in her pasty mouth. She saw her dad, busy making breakfast and she could have sworn he was taking some perverse pleasure in banging the dishes a little louder than usual. She felt crappy, hung over from her excesses from the night before and all she wanted was complete silence so she could turn over and sleep it off.

'Dad!' she finally called out, her voice impatient 'Can you keep it down?'

Neal looked over at his daughter, unimpressed. She'd always had a good head on her shoulders, showing her parents she could be trusted to make smart decisions but he'd been less than pleased to see her slung over Cameron's shoulder the night before and he sure as hell wasn't impressed with her current behavior. He shot her a glacial stare as he waited for her to get a grip on herself.

Hope just glared back, defiant; even her hair hurt and she threw her head back down on the pillow to resume her nap.

Neal walked over to the couch and hovered, waiting for her to open her eyes.

'You know, Hope, we have a life here and if you're going to go on a bender, you can't expect the world to stop turning while you sleep it of' he said, his voice angry

'Dad, I really don't need this shit right now!' she yelled uncharacteristically as she opened her eyes a crack

'Well, you're behaving like a spoiled brat. If you can't be civil, I suggest you go up to your room and have a time out' he countered a little too loudly, suddenly realizing he was talking to an 18 year-old and not some unruly toddler

Sara suddenly appeared at the bottom of the stairs, wondering what all the ruckus was about.

'Hey, you two, I'm pretty sure the neighbors are on the verge of calling the police. Bring it down a notch, will you?' she said as she looked from her husband to her daughter

'Miss Tequilla here doesn't appreciate the noise I'm making while I'm preparing _her_ breakfast' said Neal, sounding like a petulant child himself

He was furious at Hope's attitude and he looked over at Sara, realizing he needed to get a grip on his emotions and take the high road. He took a deep cleansing breath and managed to revert to his role as parent of a wayward teen

'You now, Hope, what you did last night wasn't just stupid and irresponsible, it was potentially dangerous' he bellowed, his voice angry. 'And to top it off, you're underage and what you did is illegal!'

'Illegal?' she said, totally losing her cool 'Well, that's _rich_ coming from you, Dad. I'm sure _you _would know all about illegal activities' she spat out with all the venom she could muster

'Hope! That's enough!' said Sara sternly as she realized what her daughter had just said

As soon as the words had left her mouth, Hope knew she'd gone too far. Her anger had led her to a place she had sworn she would never go. She noticed all the blood draining from her dad's face as the full force of her words hit him and she watched as he instinctively took a step back as if he'd been kicked in the stomach.

She looked from her mom to her dad, and realizing she had stepped over the line, she retreated, running towards the stairs and up to the safety of her room.

Neal just stared at Sara in shock; he never expected such a malicious and hurtful rebuke from his beautiful daughter; she was his 'sweet pea', the perfect little girl who'd always looked up to him.

'She didn't mean it, Neal' Sara said, hoping to soften the blow

Neal stared at his wife, expressionless, and he took a deep breath, returning to the kitchen in silence so he could finish getting things ready for breakfast. He'd been hurt plenty of times in his life but this unexpected attack coming from someone he loved so very much was more than he could handle.

Hope couldn't have hurt him more if she's stuck a knife through his heart.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Pete Milville turned over on the thin, lumpy mattress and glanced over at his cellmate who was reading, sprawled out on the bunk next to him. Jimmy had combed his hair and was fidgeting on his bed and that could only mean one thing: it was Sunday and his girlfriend was coming for a visit. She came every Sunday afternoon, come rain or come shine and Jimmy would prattle on about the impending visit non-stop from Monday to Saturday, every week. Pete had seen the chick on a couple of occasions – and frankly, she wasn't someone _he'd_ bother combing his hair for – but hey, there was no accounting for taste. He thanked his lucky stars that this was the last week he would have to endure his cellmate going on at length about Roxanne's next visit; Pete was finally being released after 14 long months.

Following the incident at Sterling Bosch, he and his brother Johnny had both been sentenced on a laundry list of criminal charges including illegal use of a firearms, attempted theft and illegal confinement. Pete had been relieved that they'd gone easier on Johnny - whom he'd convinced their lawyer to portray as the hapless younger brother along for the ride. His mother would be proud of him for stepping up and taking the brunt of the responsibility for the botched up theft. Johnny had gotten eight months and during that time, except for seeing him in the low security yard at the Metropolitan Detention Centre from time to time, Pete hadn't seen much at all of his baby brother. He looked forward to Johnny's impending visit and to resuming their life again on the outside. He'd gotten plenty of valuable advice on 'how not to get caught next time' while he was in the slammer. One thing about prison, it gave you plenty of time to plot your revenge if you were a vengeful kind of guy; and Pete Milville was definitely a vengeful kind of guy.

WCWCWC

Neal was quiet all through breakfast and Sara could tell he had been seriously wounded by Hope's little diatribe; he'd retreated into himself and she knew he needed time to work things out. On many occasions, he had shared his fear that his past would come back to bite him in the ass as far as the kids were concerned but she'd always reassured him that his past life was just that: his _past life_ and had nothing to do with the life he'd built – and deserved to live – for the past twenty years. Sara was furious at Hope but she knew, more than anyone, that emotions often got the better of us, no matter how much we cared for someone and that, in the heat of the moment, things might be said that were so devastatingly hurtful that they could never be unsaid.

Hope lay low, staying in her room for most of the morning and shortly after noon, Sara poked her head in to say goodbye as she prepared to leave for the airport.

'I'm getting ready to go' she said as she sat on the edge of her daughter's bed

Hope looked up, still reeling from her adventure from the night before, tear stains on her face.

'See you, Mom' she said simply

Sara could see from the look in her daughter's eyes that she fully understood the damage she'd caused to her relationship with her dad; there was no point in chastising her about it – she appeared to have done a pretty good job of that herself.

'Talk to him' Sara said simply 'He'll forgive you. Believe me, I've said plenty of hurtful things to him over the years and he's always come around in the end; your dad doesn't hold grudges - he's a wonderful and very forgiving man'

Hope just nodded.

'You know, Grandma June isn't well; we don't know how much time she has left. So Daddy's really hurting right now' she added

Hope's eyes grew wide at the news. She knew her Grandma June had had a small stroke recently but she hadn't realized that the situation was so dire. That might explain the sadness she'd seen in her dad's eyes lately.

'Is Liam going to be alright?' asked Hope, her voice faltering

Sara shrugged. 'We need to keep an eye on him until he gets better. Can you check on him while Daddy takes me to the airport?'

Hope nodded. 'Yeah, I'll make sure he's okay' she said in response

Sara stood to give Hope a kiss on the forehead and the young woman started to cry – all the emotions she'd been bottling up over the last few hours finally bursting at the seams.

'I love Daddy so much' she said, her voice choked

'Well then, you need to fix this' Sara said before leaving

WCWCWC

The trip to the airport was tedious since Sunday was always a big travel day; luckily, the mindless chatter between Sara and Lydia kept Neal's mind occupied as they drove along at a snail's pace. He'd insisted on seeing Sara off; he wanted to be with her until the moment she boarded the plane. He was feeling dejected, devoid of his usual anchors: Sara, his main port in the storm, was leaving for the week, June's situation was precarious and now his usually solid and loving relationship with his daughter was being seriously tested.

Sara and Lydia talked excitedly about the conference, their upcoming presentation and about Bea who was talking up a storm and Neal enjoyed the easy chatter as he drove. Once there, he insisted on walking them all the way to the departure lounge and Lydia thanked him and slipped in, giving the couple a few minutes to themselves.

'Are you sure you're going to be okay?' Sara asked as she looked, concerned, into her husband's eyes

He gave her a luminous Caffrey smile and a shrug but Sara could see the pain and worry hidden right underneath the surface; as good as he'd been at hiding his feelings in the past, he was sorely out of practice.

'Don't worry' he said, a weak attempt at deflection 'We'll be fine'

'I'll call you tonight' she said '... and if you need me to come home, just...'

'I know, honey, I'll call you' he said, hugging her

The hug was intended as a means to distract her but once she was safe and warm in his arms, he held on desperately tight not wanting to let her go. Sara clung to his embrace, letting him know she loved him unconditionally and he finally got a hold of himself and pulled away, cradling her face and giving her a soft kiss on the lips.

'Have a great time' he said sincerely

The drive home was just as long but it was quiet and Neal's mind inevitably returned to the words Hope had so vehemently spit at him that morning. His worse fear was that every time she looked at him she was seeing an ex-con and not her loving dad. He'd worked hard to live his life on the straight and narrow since Sara had gotten pregnant all those years ago and he'd succeeded for the most part but you could never undo what was done just like you couldn't unsay what had been said - and he had to live with the consequences of his actions from his criminal past. This was the price he had to pay, he thought as he drove in silence, for all those things he'd done, all the people he'd conned and all the pain he'd caused. He hated the fact that after all this time, the past continued to rear its ugly head and the consequences of his past behavior continued to haunt him. He realized that he could never change that reality and that his past would always be a part of who he was.

He saw the exit for Brooklyn and made a last minute decision as the car instinctively veered in that direction.

WCWCWC

Liam slept most of the afternoon and Hope checked on him a couple of times, making sure he had something to eat; his fever was still hovering around 102˚ but his blood sugar levels were stable. Hope jumped in the shower and sometime in the middle of the afternoon, Cam called to see how she was doing. She was embarrassed to talk about the events of the night before but, as always, he made it easy, reminding her that what had happened was a pretty common rite of passage although he hoped he would never witness her in that state again. She was more than happy to reassure him on that score.

Hope was anguished about how to make amends with her dad and she needed to bounce things off someone so she picked up the phone and within minutes, Olivia Mason was sitting at her kitchen table, providing the sounding board she so desperately needed.

'What's up? You sounded terrible on the phone. Did you and Cam have a fight or something?' she asked as she sipped on the soda Hope had set in front of her

'Or something...' Hope said vaguely

Olivia waited for her friend to continue; she obviously had something on her mind. Hope had never shared her dad's past with anyone of her friends not even Olivia – or Cam, for that matter. She was smart enough to understand that Neal had paid his dues and didn't need to have every new acquaintance in his life judging him on his criminal past. It wasn't what defined him and it certainly wasn't what Hope saw when she looked at her wonderful dad.

'I said some really hurtful things to my dad' she said solemnly

'Is that all?' said Olivia 'I say hurtful things to my parents all the time'

'No, I mean, _really_ hurtful...' Hope said, cryptically

'O-kay' responded Olivia 'I don't know what you're talking about, Hope'

'I can't give you any details, Liv, but I have to find a way to make him understand that... that I didn't mean any of it' said Hope

'Hope, I know your dad; I think he can take a little bit of lip from you. He adores you, that's obvious' Olivia commented

Hope's eyes filled with tears as she realized her dad had been nothing but a strong, loving role model for her in every possible way. He'd supported her in everything she'd ever wanted to do; he was making financial sacrifices in order to get her into Carnegie Mellon and he'd supported her as an artist in ways she could never even have imagined including displaying her works in an up and coming Manhattan art gallery.

Olivia was a no-nonsense kind of person; that's what her best friend loved most about her. She took Hope's hand and squeezed it.

'It's a no-brainer, Hope. You just tell him you're an idiot and you're sorry for _whatever_ it is you said!' she finally instructed with a flourish

Hope laughed – leave it to Olivia Mason to wrap it up in a neat little package and tie it up with a bow.

WCWCWC

'Hi' said Peter as he opened the door to find Neal standing there 'I wasn't expecting to see _you _today!'

'I just dropped Sara off at the airport and I thought I'd stop by, see what days you were planning to be at the gallery this week' Neal fibbed as he sat down on the couch and accepted a beer from Peter's outstretched hand

It wasn't a lie exactly but Neal had a _lot_ more than the work schedule on his mind and he needed to bounce things off one of the few people he could confide in. Apart from Sara, Peter knew him better than any other human being on the planet and Neal knew he could always turn to him for advice and know he was getting the real deal.

He decided to open with June's situation and he filled Peter in on the fact that she was being transferred to a hospital and that, if all went well with Liam, he would accompany her so she wouldn't become unsettled. Peter reassured Neal that he could pick up the slack at the gallery for most of the week; it sounded like Neal had a lot on his plate with Sara away.

'So, what is it you're _not_ telling me?' Peter finally asked, picking up a strange vibe from his best friend

Neal Caffrey, conman extraordinaire, was out of practice these days and he was increasingly transparent when it came to his emotions, something Peter Burke had learned to read over the years.

'Hope came home drunk last night' Neal stated

'Hope? My Hope? That doesn't sound like her' Peter said. His goddaughter could do no wrong in his eyes and she was perfect in every way.

'Well, that's not the worst of it' Neal confided 'We had it out this morning and when I reminded her that underage drinking was illegal, she... she threw my past in my face'

'What?' Peter said, incredulous

'She said I'd know all about doing 'illegal stuff' and the look in her eyes, Peter... she was so... so angry and so spiteful... it was like she wanted to hurt me'

'Oh, Neal. I'm sorry. You don't deserve that' said Peter touching his arm

When Neal had been on anklet, all those years ago, he'd suffered Peter's incessant teasing and his constant threats to send him back to prison. It had stung back then but Neal had always managed to take it in stride and he'd never wanted Peter to know to what extent his comments were hurtful. But, over the years, Peter's respect for Neal and for the choices he was making had been reflected in the way he treated him; now Peter would never think to bring up Neal's past. As far as he was concerned, Neal had done his penance and the page had been turned once and for all.

'Peter, I just don't know if we can come back from this. Is _that_ what she sees every time she looks at me? Has she been waiting all this time just to throw that in my face?' Neal asked, obviously wounded

'Neal, kids say stuff – hell, everybody does. Just last week, El was pissed off at me for forgetting to pick up the dry cleaning and all of sudden it became about my character and my lack of regard for everything she's ever done since the day we got married. People say stuff when they're angry or upset' Peter said, the voice of reason

Neal nodded; he knew that to be true. He and Sara had had it out on many occasions in their 17 years of marriage and they always found their way back to each other, better and stronger than before. She knew all about his past and yet she loved him unconditionally and she'd told him on more than one occasion that his past – although painful and certainly not a high point in his life – had contributed to making him the wonderful man he was today.

'Look, I know Hope. She's probably kicking herself right now. Just hear her out and let her apologize - and then, _forgive her_ Neal, just put it behind you and let her back into your heart' Peter added

Neal listened intently and smiled. How did Peter always know the right thing to say?

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Neal had barely driven away and Peter had already picked up the phone, intent on giving his beautiful goddaughter some unsolicited advice. Just as he'd played matchmaker for Sara and Neal all those years ago, he wanted to suss her out and nudge her in the direction of a reconciliation with her father.

'Hi honey! Is your dad home?' he asked as she answered the phone

'Hi Uncle Peter. No, he's driving Mom to the airport' Hope said, her voice flat

'How are _you_, sweetie? Did you have fun with Cameron yesterday?' (oh, the sly devil!)

'Not really...' she answered, regretful

'What happened?' he asked, sensing an opening

'Oh, Uncle Peter, I did something _really_ stupid and then I followed it up by doing something even _more_ stupid' she confided

'Do you want to talk about it?' he asked, matter of fact

Suddenly, he could hear Hope crying softly on the other end and he began to feel badly about manipulating her into talking about the situation with her dad.

'I did something _horrible_' she blubbered

'Honey, everything can be fixed in life' he said, sympathetically

'I don't know if _this _can be fixed' she said, her voice sad 'I hurt Dad's feelings – really bad'

'Have you apologized?' he asked, knowing full well the answer

'Not yet. I'm afraid he'll be too upset to forgive me' she confided

'Oh, Hope. I think you know your dad better than that. He'd forgive _anything_ you did' Peter said

'Not _this_, Uncle Peter. I went to a really dark place I'd promised myself I would never go to. I threw his past in his face and I _knew_ it would upset him but I did it anyway and I watched him... he was... just totally devastated' she said, her voice trembling

Peter let out a sigh at the other end as he listened to his beautiful goddaughter's heart breaking.

'It's so irrelevant to me what happened before he and Mom got married. He's not a criminal anymore and I know he struggles with that... I know he wishes he could go back and fix all those things he did but none of that matters to _me_. I love him' she whimpered

'I know we've never talked about this before, Hope. But you need to know that your dad had a rough childhood and even though he did things he shouldn't have done, he's paid in full for his crimes and that's _all_ we can ask of _any_ human being. Everybody deserves a second chance in life; it's up to you how you handle it and I'd say your dad is pretty well the poster child for successful rehabilitation' Peter explained 'and for the record, he never intentionally hurt anyone in his life'

'All I know is that he's been the best dad I could ever ask for and whatever happened in the past should have stayed buried there and now, I've gone and dug it up and used it to hurt him and I want to undo what I did...' Hope cried

'Honey, you _can't_ undo what you did – no more than he can change _his_ past but you _can_ pick up from here and wipe the slate clean and tell him how you feel about him... and that you're sorry for what you said' said Peter

'What if he can't forgive me?' she asked, worried

'I think you know your dad better than that – I know I do' he answered

WCWCWC

'So, what'd you find out?' asked Pete Milville as he sat across from his brother in the Metropolitan Corrections Centre visiting room

The rudimentary room was awash with correctional officers and Johnny looked around nervously to make sure no one was listening before answering.

'She and her husband have a gallery in Manhattan and one of those FBI guys is a partner with them' Johnny Milville whispered

'That Burke guy?' asked Pete

'Yeah. And Morley wants in; he's got a bone to pick with the Ellis broad too' Johnny said

'Excellent. So, listen, make sure the Ellis woman isn't around and send Morley in to case the place. Find out the best time to pay a little visit; we could go in and grab a few things but I want to leave a big mess behind for them to clean up. After all, they weren't worried about messing up _our lives _when they testified against us and sold us down the river'

'I think you're watching too many of those gangster movies, Pete' Johnny joked in response to his brother's last reference

'Shut up. Just do what I tell you. And don't forget to pick me up Tuesday morning; they're letting me go at 10:00 so be here' he barked at his younger sibling

WCWCWC

Neal walked into the house, feeling better than he had when he'd left. Peter was right, he needed to let Hope make the first move and when she did, he needed to open up his arms _and_ his heart to his little girl. He could hear clanging noises coming from the kitchen and he stepped into the back of the house to find Hope standing there, surrounded by bowls and a cluttered counter overflowing with baking supplies with Raffie nipping at her heels hoping that something would spill onto the floor. She looked up timidly when he walked in and suddenly Neal flashed back to fifteen years before. He saw little three-year-old Hope standing there, looking very guilty, as she'd accidentally dropped his favorite coffee mug and it lay shattered on the floor at her feet. Her face had dissolved into tears, her little body trembling as Neal had stepped forward to take her in his arms and console her.

This time, it was his _heart_ and not his favorite cup that had been broken but the feeling of déjà vu was overwhelming.

'Hi Dad' Hope finally said, her voice trembling

He smiled back.

'I was just making those chocolate chip oatmeal cookies you like so much' she managed to eke out before she totally fell apart and began to cry inconsolably

Neal took a few steps towards her and she ran the rest of the way, throwing herself into his open arms and bawling as Neal felt the emotions rising in him

'Daddy, I'm so _so _sorry!' she cried as she buried her face in his shirt

'What I said was _horrible_ and totally uncalled for and I wouldn't blame you if you never forgave me' she blubbered, almost unintelligibly

'Hey, hey, hey. Stop it, _of course_ I forgive you, sweet pea' he said, cradling her in his arms

He could feel the tension leave her body as he spoke and she pulled away to look at him, her eyes brimming with tears

'You _do_?' she asked, a small smile peeking through

'Of course I do' he said, touching her face and wiping a tear

'But what I said...' she began

'... is in the _past_, honey. We can't change it but we can move forward just like I have to learn to leave _my past_ behind _me_' Neal interrupted

'Daddy, I want you to know I _never _think of you that way. I don't even know where that came from... I guess I was just so angry at you and I wanted to lash out and hurt you somehow and... all of sudden, I was saying those horrible things'

'Look, we all have things we need to be forgiven for – I know that better than anyone. I was pushing your buttons – I was angry too' Neal said with a quiet laugh

'But still, there's no excuse for what I said. I've heard you and Mom talking and I _know_ it's still hard for you to leave the past behind. I used that against you and that... that was unforgivable'

'No, honey. It was hurtful and mean... but never unforgivable. Don't you know, yet, that there's _nothing_ you could possibly do that I wouldn't be able to forgive? You're my little girl and I love you, no matter what' Neal said, his voice rather unsteady

'Thanks Daddy' Hope said, finally breathing again

She hugged him once more, feeling his strong, loving arms envelop her, comfort her, reassuring her that he would always be in her corner, no matter what she said or did. The tension finally broken, father and daughter looked at each other, smiling and Neal began to take in the state of the kitchen counter.

'So, I see you went to the Sara Ellis school of cooking' he said, as he looked around at the messy kitchen 'You want some help with those cookies?'

'Yeah, Dad. I could really use your help' she laughed

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Sara had been thinking of Neal and Hope non-stop since they'd boarded the plane and although she'd tried to make polite chit-chat with her travelling companion, she'd been unable to chase the memory of what had transpired that morning. She thought of strong, loving Neal who was so forgiving and she recalled all the times she'd flown off the handle and said things she'd immediately regretted. She realized that she often took advantage of his easygoing nature, thinking that hurtful comments rolled off him like water on a duck's back. But they didn't; Neal was a gentle, sensitive soul and when he was hurt, the pain was deep. She resolved to make more of an effort at censoring herself whenever they argued about something in the future.

Unfortunately, Hope had inherited Sara's quick temper and viper tongue although thankfully, like her dad, Hope was quick to forgive and to _ask_ for forgiveness. Sara would often let things fester when she was angry but Hope really had inherited the best of both her parents. Sara hoped the two of them would work things out; Neal didn't need the additional stress what with June being so sick and him having to deal with Liam. She wondered in passing if she'd done the right thing leaving them behind.

By the time they'd had dinner in the hotel, Sara was exhausted from all the emotions of the day. She bid Lydia goodnight and settled into her room; she'd been intent on calling home when her phone rang indicating a Chicago number.

'Hi! So did you arrive safe and sound?' asked Emily Ellis-Foster

'We did. We're staying at the Langham' Sara said as she took in the opulent room

'La-di-da!' answered her sister at the other end 'Sterling Bosch sure knows how to put you up in style!'

'Well, the conference is here so it works out' answered Sara letting herself fall on the luxurious bed

'So, is Wednesday still the best night for us to get together?' asked Emily 'I can pick you guys up at the hotel'

'Sounds good! See you then, Em!' Sara said before hanging up

She was dying to find out how Neal was doing and she immediately dialed home, anxious to check in on everyone. Hope answered on the third ring, sounding much happier than she'd been earlier in the day

'Hi Mom!' she said brightly into the phone

'How are things?' Sara asked vaguely

'Great! Dad and I made manicotti for dinner' she said

'Oh yeah? Does that mean...' Sara began

'Yeah, we had a talk and I apologized and... well, we're good' answered Hope, sounding relieved

'Oh honey, I'm so glad you worked it out' said Sara 'Can I talk to your dad?'

'Daddy!' Sara heard her yell 'It's Mom'

After a few seconds, Neal's voice was heard, also sounding much brighter than when she'd left him

'Hey beautiful!' he chimed 'How's the windy city?'

'Windy!' she answered 'So? Everything good?'

'Well, I wish I could say Liam had turned a corner but his fever is still pretty high and I've been keeping a really close eye on his numbers' he said 'As a matter of fact, I'm sitting right next to him and he just gave me a little smile. Do you want to say hi?'

'Yeah. Put him on' Sara said, sitting up

'Hi Mom' came Liam's voice, small and weak

'Hi honey. Still not feeling so good, huh?' she asked

'Noooo' he whimpered

'Hang in there okay, sweetie. And listen to Daddy – I know he's not as pushy as I am but I'm still keeping an eye on things here with my crystal ball' she said, hoping to make him laugh

He grunted and she was disappointed, realizing he wasn't doing well at all.

'Neal, don't take any chances. If his fever is still high, maybe you should bring him to emergency tomorrow' she said, trying to micro-manage from a distance

'Sara, honey, listen to me. I'm _here,_ I've got this, okay? You just enjoy your time away and I'll call you if there's anything' he said, trying to take charge

She let out a sigh, surprised at her husband's forcefulness.

'And one more thing' Neal continued, reverting to his more typical self 'I love you!'

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

'Mom! Moooom!' the voice echoed in the dark and quiet house

It was almost three in the morning and Neal turned over in bed, reaching for Sara and finding a cold spot where she usually lay – had he _really_ just heard that or was he dreaming?

'Mooom!' Liam cried out once again

Neal bolted out of bed, instantly shaking off any remnants of sleep and he darted across the hall towards Liam's room. He turned on the hallway light and he could see his son, trying to sit up in bed without much luck.

'Liam, what's wrong?' he said as he got closer to him

'I don't feel good' he mumbled, seemingly confused 'Where's mom?'

'Mom's on her trip, remember? I'm here buddy' said Neal as he proceeded to sit on the edge of the bed and take stock of the situation.

Liam's body was shaking and he looked pale – signs Neal had seen on only a couple of occasions since his son's diagnosis. Without wasting a moment, he pricked Liam's finger, anxious to ascertain if his suspicions were correct. Neal inserted the tab in the glucose meter, his hands slightly shaking - the result of being woken from a dead sleep coupled with genuine concern for his son. He took in the result and frowned, grabbing the glass of orange juice by the bedside in one swift motion.

'Liam, you need to drink some juice - right now. Come on, buddy, sit up' he added urgently as he coaxed him into a sitting position. Neal knew all too well that if he didn't react quickly, there could be dire consequences for his son and he held the glass in his trembling hands forcing Liam to take a long slow drink.

'A little more' Neal said as he noticed sweat on Liam's forehead – another obvious sign of low blood sugar

They had been lucky; over time and through trial and error, they had learned how to keep Liam's sugar levels in the appropriate range. It had taken months to balance his diet with his physical activities but they'd managed to find the perfect balance as long as Liam didn't deviate from his regular routine. Whenever he was sick, however, he went off his normal schedule and it became difficult to keep those levels steady. His son was obviously in the throes of an episode of hypoglycemia – or low blood sugar and Neal watched as Liam fell back on his pillow, his skin sallow.

'I want Mom!' he moaned

'Buddy, Mom went to Chicago – remember?' Neal repeated

Liam looked at him quizzically, obviously confused – another worrisome symptom of his current condition. Neal waited patiently for the juice to enter his son's system, glancing at the clock flashing on Liam's bedside clock. Fifteen minutes should do it, he thought, as he prepared to test his blood sugar once again. The result was more encouraging – 4.3 – but it was still too low and Neal shook Liam slightly to bring him out of his restless sleep.

'Liam, just a little bit more juice; come on buddy, you can do it' Neal said as Liam balked

Neal thought of Sara, miles away, always so much better than he was at dealing with these kinds of situations. He hated to see the kids sick or struggling; she was so much better at keeping a cool head and doing what needed to be done in an emergency. He watched the clock move at a snail's pace waiting for the juice to work its magic and finally, he carried out another check, breathing a sigh of relief at the result. He shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if he hadn't heard Liam calling or if Liam had slept through the incident.

'You want to come and sleep with me?' Neal asked as he ruffled his son's hair

Liam nodded and Neal helped him up, guiding him towards his bedroom.

'Do you need to pee?' he asked as Liam gave him a dirty look

'Dad, I'm almost thirteen' he answered, annoyed

The Caffrey men settled in the big bed and within seconds Liam was sound asleep – unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for his dad who lay there shaking for a very long time.

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On Monday morning, Liam was looking - and feeling - much better and actually came down for breakfast. Although he appeared to be on the mend, he was still in no condition to go to school and Neal realized he'd have to phone the school and let them know – something else his better half usually took care of. Hope had a day off school and they sat at the kitchen table, sharing breakfast and discussing their plans for the day.

'Uncle Peter's going to cover the gallery' Neal said to Hope as they ate

'I was thinking I might go with you to see Grandma June today' she said

Neal smiled at the offer; truth be told, it would be nice to have some company - June's transfer to hospital was bound to be difficult for her. They had agreed that Lorna would be waiting at the other end for her mom to arrive and that Neal would head over to Marigold and help June get ready for the move to her new 'home', making sure she wasn't unduly traumatized by the actual transfer and the sudden change in her environment.

'That would be great!' he said with a smile

'Me too!' added Liam, obviously delusional about his current health status

'Buddy, you're just getting over the flu; I don't think you're up to going anywhere today. How about I ask Uncle Mozzie if he can come over and spend the afternoon with you?' Neal suggested

Liam's face lit up – he loved his uncle Mozzie and spending time with him meant fun and games; after all, Mozzie was an even bigger kid than his godson was.

'But' Neal added as an idea took shape '...we could bring the laptop with us. That way, if she's up to it, maybe you can talk to Grandma June on Skype' he added

Neal didn't know how long June would be with them and he worried that Liam wouldn't get the chance to see her one last time – she was his godmother and he'd always had a very close relationship with her, going back to when he was a baby.

'Yeah!' Liam responded, satisfied with the solution proposed by his dad

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'Can I help you find anything?' Peter asked the young man who was meandering through the gallery

He didn't look like a typical patron not so much because of how he was dressed – a suit and tie – but by the way he behaved, walking around and seemingly snooping in all the corners of the gallery.

'What's back here?' he asked as he peeked into the back room

'That's just storage space and it's where we teach our art appreciation classes and children's art classes' Peter responded

'Oh' said the young man, taking a step in '... my daughter might enjoy that'

'Well, here's an application form' Peter said, handing him a piece of paper 'The next session starts in two weeks'

The man looked at Peter and smiled. 'So, what's upstairs?'

'Well, the owner displays his own works and the works of his daughter up there. You're welcome to take a look' answered Peter

The tall, slim man made his way upstairs as Peter waited behind – no sense in hovering. Within minutes, he'd returned.

'What are your hours of operation?' he asked as Peter handed him one of Neal's business cards with the requisite information

'Thanks... I'll certainly be back' the man said cryptically as he shook Peter's hand

Joe Morley stepped out into the sunshine and smiled – 'I will _definitely_ be back' he said to himself with a smug smile

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Neal and Hope drove the familiar road to Danbury in relative silence. They always enjoyed each other's company but now that they'd made peace with each other, they were especially pleased to be spending some quality time together. They listened to the music of the Beatles – Hope had very eclectic tastes – and Neal sang along, making her giggle whenever he tripped over the lyrics to one of the songs.

'You know, Grandma June is not the same woman she was a few weeks ago' Neal warned, preparing Hope for the inevitable

'How bad _is it_, Dad?' Hope asked, concern apparent in her eyes

'Honey, I'm not sure how much time she has left – that last stroke she had has left her feeling really weak and confused' Neal explained

'You mean she could die soon?' Hope asked

'I don't know, sweetie, but they're moving her to the palliative care unit so...'

'What's _palliative_ care?' she asked, innocently

'It's where they transfer dying patients, keeping them comfortable until... until they pass away' Neal said, sadness apparent in his voice

Hope took in the information, reflecting on her grandma and how she'd been there for her since she was little. Suddenly, her mind shifted to her dad.

'Dad, I'm really sorry about yesterday...' she began before Neal cut her off

'Honey, we've been through all that – we're good' he said, a warm smile on his face

'I know, but... this thing with Grandma June... it's just...' she hesitated and Neal looked over at her, wondering what she was getting at

'...what if something happened to you and I never had the chance to tell _you_ how much you mean to me?' she concluded

'First of all, nothing's going to happen to me' said Neal, reaching for her hand '... and secondly, I never doubted for a moment that you love me'

Hope smiled at her dad; he was her hero in every sense of the word although Cameron Armstrong was making giant strides in that direction lately. Her dad had supported her through thick and thin and he was always proud of her accomplishments; she wanted to do good by him, make him proud.

'Love, love me do...' Neal sang, squeezing her hand as they continued up the road

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Vanessa was sitting at June's bedside when Neal entered with Hope following close behind him. June was sleeping, although she appeared restless as evidenced by the way she fidgeted on the bed.

'Hi' said the young woman, her voice quiet

'Vanessa, you remember my daughter Hope' Neal said as he made his way closer to June's bed

The woman smiled at Hope and stood to give up her seat to Neal.

'How's she been?' Neal asked

'Not too bad, today. She was pretty lucid earlier but sometimes when she wakes up, she's a little more confused' she answered

Neal had noticed that too – whenever June would awaken from a nap, it would take her a while to get her bearings and realize where she was and whose company she was in.

'The patient transfer van will be here in about thirty minutes' said Vanessa 'and June's daughter had all her things moved to the hospital yesterday'

Neal nodded 'Yeah, she's waiting for us at the other end'

The sound of his voice made June stir and she opened her eyes, a smile coming to her lips as she gazed at Neal.

'Byron, you came' she said, her voice weak

'Hey June' Neal said, leaning in to kiss her forehead

Hope looked on with concern. Why was June calling her dad Byron?

'And who's this pretty girl?' June added, with her usual grace

'You remember Hope, don't you June?' Neal said in a calm voice although he could see Hope's heart breaking at the sight of her grandmother not recognizing her

'What a lovely name' June said, her voice far away

'You remember we're going away today, right?' Neal said with a twinkle in his eye

He wanted to make the transition as smooth as possible for her and if that meant playing along, he was more than happy to oblige – anything to avoid unnecessary anguish for June.

'To New Orleans?' she asked, her eyes lighting up

'Wherever you want, June' Neal answered 'Some people are coming to move you and I'll follow in the car and meet you there'

June nodded in agreement.

'Good, now do you want to close your eyes for a few minutes before we go?' he asked, taking her hand in his

June nodded once again and closed her eyes. Neal glanced over at Hope, seeing her confused face.

'It's okay' he mouthed to her as he winked

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Sara sat in the large conference room of the Langham Hotel, surrounded by colleagues from insurance companies all over the world. She was in her element and yet, she couldn't stop thinking of the goings on back home in White Plains. At one time in her life, home would have been wherever she found herself – mostly, wherever work took her, considering the fact that work was the only thing _in _her life. But now, things were different and home was Neal – and the kids – and always would be. She wondered how June was doing, how Neal was coping with the day to day routine of keeping the home fires burning, how Liam was recuperating, if Hope was feeling okay about what had happened between her and her dad. These days, those precious individuals were at the centre of her universe and they were never very far from her thoughts.

She looked around at the hundreds of people around her, wondering if they all had someone back home as special as the people in hers; she grabbed her phone and began to text a quick message.

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When June opened her eyes again, Neal noticed she was no longer calm and serene; her eyes looked wild and frightened and she stared up at him with alarm. The paramedics had arrived and had begun to get a gurney ready to transport her to the ambulance and their sudden appearance seemed to be at the root of June's anxiety.

'Neal, what's going on?' she asked, her voice shaking

'Hey, June. These nice guys need to move you to another ... room' he fibbed, trying desperately to keep her calm and focussed

'Why?' she cried 'I don't want to leave'

Neal swallowed hard; this was exactly what he'd been afraid of. He took her hand in his and summoning up all the calm and courage he could muster, he spoke softly into her ear.

'I'll be with you the whole time' he whispered as she looked up, eyes wide

Neal could see that the attendants were ready to move her so he stepped away momentarily to give them room to maneuver; he took Hope aside while they worked.

'You okay, sweet pea?' he asked, taking her arm

She nodded, although her eyes were glistening and Neal could feel how tense she was.

'We've got to get her to the hospital; we don't have a choice. Do you think you could handle driving the car if I go in the ambulance with her?' he asked, sensing that his presence would help June remain calm

'Sure Dad. I can do that' she answered, looking over at her Grandma June, crying softly, as they placed her on the makeshift bed

She hadn't done much highway driving since she'd begun to drive almost two years before (and she seemed to have inherited her mom's poor driving genes) but desperate times called for desperate measures and Neal knew his daughter could be counted on to rise to the occasion.

'I know you haven't done much driving on the highway – or in Manhattan for that matter – but use the GPS and you'll be fine, okay?' he said, his arm around his daughter

She nodded; she could see he was upset by the turn of events and the last thing she wanted was to add to his anxiety by having him worry about her ability to drive to the hospital.

'Piece of cake' she lied with assurance – she did have some of those Caffrey genes as well

'Neal!' June's voice was heard, shrill and loud

'Right here' Neal said as he sidled up to her, taking her hand 'See, I told you, I'll be with you the whole time' he added with a twinkle in his eye

June seemed to relax at the sight of him and after a moment, the procession left room 522 of the Marigold Seniors Home, never to return.

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'No way!' Mozzie exclaimed, looking over at Liam 'Did you _let_ me win?'

They'd been playing one of Liam's many video games at which the young man was infinitely more skilled than his bespectacled uncle. Truth be told, Liam seemed to be fading fast and Mozzie had to decide whether to continue taking advantage of his godson's weakened state or suggest a rest time for his young charge.

'How about we take a bit of a break? It looks like you could use a nap' said Mozzie, ruffling Liam hair and pointing to the pillow laying on the couch next to him

'Uncle Moz, is Grandma June gonna die?' Liam asked as he began to settle in

Whenever Liam broached the subject with his dad, he could feel him becoming sad and he'd avoided asking him the question outright. Mozzie was taken by surprise and he hummed and hawed for a moment before answering.

'Everybody dies, Liam' he said finally – and wasn't that a kernel of wisdom!

'I mean soon, in the next little while' Liam added

Mozzie took a deep breath before answering – he wasn't big on discussing death, having always preferred to live life in the here and now, unencumbered by thoughts of consequences... or death.

'She's very sick and she's very old. Chances are she won't get any better' he finally admitted to his godson and to himself

Mozzie loved June – she represented all that was exciting about living on the edge; he loved watching her enjoy the good life and all the ill gotten goods she'd earned as the wife of a successful white collar criminal. And yet, she was kind and compassionate_, giving_ in return and always helping whoever she could – a flawed yet multifaceted individual just like him and Neal.

'I hope I get to see her before she dies' Liam said, his head on the pillow

Mozzie fidgeted as he sat on the armchair nearby.

'Dad said he'd skype but...' Liam began, his voice suddenly far away

'Your dad said, he'd _try _to skype – if June was up to it' Mozzie corrected

Liam let out a sigh, his young mind obviously churning away despite the fact that sleep was imminent.

'What do you think happens to us when we die, uncle Moz?' he finally asked

_There_ was a loaded question if Mozzie had ever heard one and most definitely an issue he'd tried to avoid ruminating his whole life. If there was _any_ justice in the world, he didn't think he'd be welcome at the pearly gates and he tended to keep his mind focussed on the here and now, preferring to get his rewards in the short term.

'I'm not sure we want to know' he answered cryptically

Liam threw him a quizzical look. He wasn't privy to _everything_ about his favorite uncle but he'd heard his parents talking enough to know that Mozzie didn't always do things on the up and up. And yet, he loved his uncle who was always there whenever he needed anything – whether it was to have some fun or to just spend time chilling together. They were like-minded and such existentially driven discussions were not a part of their usual conversations.

'But, what...?' Liam began as Mozzie quickly cut him off

'Hey, that's enough, young man!' he finally said, feeling the need to bring the uncomfortable conversation to an end 'You need to get some rest!'

Mozzie was less than comfortable with the way the discussion was evolving and it was forcing him to reflect on things he frankly preferred not to think about. He hated it when he was forced into introspection despite his best attempts at trying to keep things light. But Liam had a way of making him confront his inner demons and Mozzie continued to fight him all the way.

Damn kids, he thought, they were more trouble than they were worth.

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Hope watched as they loaded her grandma into the ambulance and she noted how lovingly Neal hovered as the attendants worked. This was exactly why she loved her dad so much. He had once told her that being courageous didn't mean not being scared but rather doing what needed to be done _even when _you were scared. She could see he was putting his money where his mouth was; it was so difficult for her dad to watch someone he loved suffering and yet in this instance, he didn't blink – he kept his mind focussed on what he could do to make things better for June. He gave Hope a final wave as he climbed into the back of the ambulance and Hope made her way to the car saying a silent prayer for both of them.

June continued to moan as she was settled into the ambulance and Neal was instructed by the paramedic to sit at the head of the gurney where a small bench was located. The young man worked diligently and Neal could see him fishing through his equipment bag, finally coming up with a loaded syringe which he proceeded to plunge into June's arm as she continued to look at Neal in horror.

'This is a shot of morphine, it'll help her relax and she'll be able to sleep until we get there' said the young man, appearing to be in total control of the situation

Neal nodded in response, his hands glued to June's shoulders as her eyes closed gently.

'Is this your mom?' asked the attendant, looking up at Neal with compassion in his eyes

Neal looked at him and gave him a gentle smile. 'Yeah' he responded, simply

'I know how you must be feeling' the young man continued, a tinge of sadness in his voice 'We had to move my grandmother to a hospital a few weeks back; it's tough to see someone you love struggling'

'How is she?' Neal asked, always the conversationalist

The young man hesitated for a moment before answering.

'She died two weeks ago' he said, his voice sad

'I'm sorry' said Neal as he projected himself into the future, imagining himself having to deal with June's eventual final departure

'You know, at some point, it just gets really hard to watch someone you love suffer so much and you begin to pray that they'll be relieved of their pain' he said, wise beyond his years

They sat in silence for a while; Neal watching June as she slept, peaceful at last, and he wondered what might be going through her mind. He thought back to the first time he'd ever laid eyes on her. What was it that had drawn him to this wonderful woman - was it just the fact that she'd walked in carrying some amazing suits or was there something about her presence that had attracted him to her in the first place? She always had such poise when she walked into a room and Neal admired the confidence she exuded whether it was at a gala or in a thrift shop.

She'd been open and easygoing from the first moment they'd met, confident in her ability to read people and Neal still thought of their first encounter as the turning point in his life: the moment where someone had taken a chance on him even though he'd done absolutely nothing to earn that trust. Once June had offered him a place to stay – and not just _any_ old place at that – he'd known he could never allow himself to let her down. From that first day, he'd wanted to be worthy of her trust even although she had reassured him over the years that he had done that by just being himself. The thought of June being disappointed in him was unbearable and Neal had made many decisions in his life based on what he thought June would have done under the same circumstances.

She moved uneasily on the gurney, moaning softly and she suddenly became restless as the paramedic took stock of the situation while a monitor went off nearby.

'What's going on?' Neal asked, his voice panicked

The attendant spoke into his walkie-talkie, communicating efficiently with his partner who was driving.

'We've got a cardiac arrest back here' he called out 'Code 4!'

Neal's heart stopped at the sound of the siren blaring and he watched in horror as June thrashed on the bed in front of his eyes.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Mozzie wasn't sure when it had happened exactly but he had somehow nodded off as young Liam slept nearby. He stood, stretching his back and making his way to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of the fine wine Sara had left open on the counter. He took a long slow drink and checked the time; June should be arriving at Mount Sinai anytime now. He hoped everything had gone well. He resisted calling Neal figuring his friend would call when he could and he returned to sit on the armchair in the family room, grabbing a nearby book for company.

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Sara glanced at her phone for the umpteenth time; still no answer from Neal. Whatever he was doing, he obviously couldn't pull himself away to respond. She looked at her watch: 2:30; that meant it was 3:30 in New York. Maybe he was still getting June settled at the hospital. Lydia laughed next to her, in response to something amusing the current speaker must have said and Sara snapped back to reality, trying so very hard to concentrate on what was going on around her.

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Hope drove along, keeping pace with the ambulance as she listened to the music her dad had chosen for the journey. She sang along, trying hard to keep a clear head as the speedometer reached 65 mph, a speed she had to admit she wasn't very comfortable with. She concentrated on the road, thinking of her dad up ahead and hoping everything was okay with her precious grandma. She had been shocked to hear June refer to her dad as Byron; she had no idea she'd become so confused. Hope had seen her just a few weeks before and she'd asked about school and about Cameron and how she was enjoying teaching those art classes at the gallery. The woman she'd just left was someone else altogether and Hope couldn't understand how she could have deteriorated so rapidly in such a short time. The phone rang and she expertly pushed the appropriate button on the steering wheel, seeing her mom's name appear on the display.

'Hi Mom!' she called out

'Hey honey. How are you?' asked Sara, obviously unaware of where her daughter was

'Good' she answered, non-committal

'How was school?' Sara asked, hoping to catch up on her daughter's last twenty four hours

'I didn't have school today' Hope reminded her

'Oh, that's right, I forgot' Sara responded, suddenly remembering it was a professional development day

'I'm in the car' said Hope '... and I'm following Dad. He's in the ambulance up ahead with Grandma June'

Sara's face tensed – Hope was driving along the highway all by herself?

'I can see your face from here, Mom' Hope answered with a smile '...and I'm fine. Grandma June was just really upset about being moved so Dad decided to go with her in the ambulance. I'm following them to the hospital'

'How is she?' Sara's voice echoed in the car

'Mom... I had no idea she was in such a bad way' Hope answered, her voice sad 'She didn't even recognize me'

'Oh, honey I'm sorry. I'm afraid her stroke and the medication she's taking make her really confused at times. Are you sure you're alright?' Sara asked – not that she could do anything about it considering she was so far away from home

'I'll be fine... oh my God!' Hope suddenly exclaimed as Sara listened, totally helpless

'What? What is it?' she asked

'The ambulance just sped off and the siren is blaring' answered Hope, watching helplessly as the vehicle began to move away from her at a dizzying speed

WCWCWC

Although the original intention had been to bring June into the hospital through the palliative care wing, the plan was quickly revised considering recent events and the ambulance pulled into the bay of the emergency room of Mount Sinai hospital at 4:07 p.m. June had arrested on the way over and although the paramedics had been able to bring her back, her condition was critical and she needed to be stabilized, the damage to her heart assessed and treatment begun before she could be settled into her new home.

Neal sat shell shocked in the ER waiting room; the sight of June almost dying in front of his eyes likely to haunt him for a long time. The long drive into Manhattan had seemed so much longer as he stood by helplessly watching the EMT try to bring her back from the brink of death.

He spotted Lorna coming towards him and he rose to greet her.

Lorna Ellington-Barrett was a tall slim woman who at first glance, looked a lot like her mom. Although she was in her late 60s, she was spry and energetic and she shared her mother's kind, warm eyes. She was a retired school principal and her late husband had been a surgeon, affording them a good, comfortable lifestyle in San Diego where they'd raised their two girls. Her recent relocation to New York to tend to her mom had really taken its toll on her; she'd arrived during the coldest winter on record and she'd found the transition to the east coast difficult. Although she was well aware of the important place Neal held in her mom's heart, until recently, she'd barely known the man, having met him on only a couple of occasions before her recent move back east. The more she got to know him, however, the more she liked Neal and she could see similarities between him and her dad – an obvious reason why her mother had taken such a shine to the ex-conman.

In the early years, when June relentlessly sang Neal's praises, Lorna had been concerned that the charming young man, who'd apparently materialized out of nowhere, might have been plotting to con her mom. Despite her street smarts and excellent judgement, June Ellington could still be perceived as an easy mark by some smart young con and Lorna had warned her mom incessantly to be on her guard; of course, June had totally dismissed the notion, having made up her mind from the moment she'd laid eyes on Neal Caffrey that he was trustworthy.

But Lorna had been leery of his intentions and it had taken a long time for her to believe that Neal was indeed the genuine article and that he had June's best interests at heart. Since her return to New York, she'd had the opportunity to scrutinize the man that had won her mom over all those years ago and she had to admit she'd been just as smitten as June had been as she observed his caring interactions with her. She was now thankful that June had had Neal in her life, in her house while she and her sister were so far away. It was clear that June Ellington considered Neal the son she and Byron had never had and Lorna was happy to respect her mom's wishes and give him his rightful place as part of their 'family'.

'What happened?' she said, out of breath as she finally caught up to Neal

'She went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance' he blurted out 'They're assessing her now'

Lorna let herself fall in a nearby chair and Neal put an awkward arm around her to reassure her. The woman stared ahead in disbelief.

'I hope we didn't do the wrong thing moving her' she said

'We didn't have a choice, Lorna. Marigold just couldn't give June what she needs right now' he responded, kindly

She nodded. Of course, she knew that there was little else to do other than to watch her beloved mom gently fade away but acknowledging that didn't make the reality of it any easier. She let out a long sigh.

'Are _you _alright?' she finally asked. She knew that if she'd been the one sitting by her mom watching the drama unfold, she'd be beside herself

'Yeah, I'm fine. I'm glad I was with her; she was pretty upset when it came time to leave' he admitted

Lorna looked over at the sweet, caring man beside her. 'Thanks for being here, Neal. I really appreciate it'

'Where else would I be?' Neal asked rhetorically

WCWCWC

Sara had insisted on keeping Hope company until she made it all the way to the hospital, coaching her through the streets of Manhattan and instructing her on the best route to take on her way to Mount Sinai. She sat in a hotel lobby, miles away, chattering about this and that in an effort to keep her daughter calm and focussed in what was a most unusual and stressful situation. Hope was thankful for the company, hearing her mom's voice was almost like having her sitting in the passenger seat right beside her.

'I'm here, Mom. Thanks for talking me through this' she finally said as she pulled into the public parking lot by the hospital's main building

'Alright sweetheart. Ask Daddy to call me as soon as there's any news, okay?' Sara asked

'Will do' answered Hope, signing off and making her way into the emergency room

She was unsure of what she'd find when she got there but one thing was for sure, her dad would need support to help him through the next little while and in her mom's absence, Hope was determined to play that important role. She spotted Neal pacing in the waiting room and walked over.

'Dad?' she said, a single word, yet full of questions and concern

'Oh Hope, you're here' he exclaimed, grabbing her a bit too forcefully and giving her a hug

'What's happening? I saw the ambulance speed away...' she began

'Grandma June had a heart attack...' he said as he watched Hope's face go from hopeful to hopeless '... but she's alive. They're checking her out'

'Honey, you remember Lorna, don't you?' he said, pulling Hope over to where June's daughter was sitting, wringing her hands

'Hi Mrs. Barrett' Hope said, smiling

'Wow! I haven't seen you in a while. You're a young woman – a beautiful young woman!' Lorna said, taking in the sight of Hope

They'd seen each other a couple of times over the years at June's place but it had been a long time since she'd laid eyes on Neal's now grown up daughter. The trio sat and waited, Hope temporarily excusing herself to fetch coffee for them and returning to continue their vigil in silence. It took a little more than an hour before someone came out looking for the relatives of June Ellington and Lorna looked over at Neal, inviting him along to meet with the doctor, Neal grateful to be included in the inner circle.

'Ms Ellington suffered an acute myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack' the ER doctor stated 'and it's caused a great deal of damage to her heart muscle'

Neal and Lorna sat listening intently as he continued.

'There's significant blockage of the left anterior descending artery which is the most significant artery for blood supply to the body. Normally, we would go in and do angioplasty but considering Ms Ellington's age and delicate condition, I'm afraid that's not an option' he said, his voice sombre

'So there's nothing you can do?' asked Lorna

'Nothing that wouldn't put her in an even more precarious situation, I'm afraid' he said

'So, what happens now?' Neal asked

'Well, we can still transfer her over to the palliative care unit – they can give her excellent 'end of life' care there. They can control any pain she's having and make her comfortable for the time she has left. There's no point in moving her to the cardiac unit since we are clearly not in a position to intervene aggressively should she arrest again... which is likely to happen' the doctor warned

'Do you know... how much time she has left?' Lorna asked

'It could be weeks, days... I couldn't venture a guess. But if you have loved ones who would like to see her, I suggest they don't wait too long before making their way here' he concluded

Neal and Lorna looked at each other, the same look of desolation on both their faces. They thanked the doctor and he reassured them that the transfer to the palliative care unit would be happening within the next few hours.

One thing was certain, June would be surrounded by her loved ones when the time finally came to leave this world; Neal would make certain of that.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

June was finally transferred to the palliative care unit where she was welcomed by seasoned, caring staff who were obviously sensitive to what the patients' families were going through. Neal and Lorna both felt strangely reassured that she was in good hands and they sat together and prepared a schedule so that June would have someone with her for the foreseeable future, at least during the daytime hours. Neal had read that the average stay at the unit was 8.3 days and he wondered in passing if June's stay would be above the average or if she would be leaving them soon to finally join Byron. The main thing was that she not suffer needlessly; it was selfish to want to keep her with them for the sake of being in her presence; the loving memory of June Ellington would linger indefinitely in their hearts, of that he was certain.

Although Neal would have liked to camp out by June's bedside 24/7, that was not a realistic option. He had the kids to think about and he couldn't continue to ignore his responsibilities at the gallery. Peter was carrying most of the load and Neal felt he had to do _some _of the work – albeit much less than his usual contribution. On top of that, although Liam was on the mend, Neal wanted to keep a close eye on him and the last thing he wanted was for Sara to have to drop everything and come home.

It was almost ten o'clock before he and Hope finally arrived home to find Mozzie snoozing on the hideaway bed in the family room and Liam sound asleep in his room. Mozzie reassured Neal that Liam was doing much better: he'd had dinner, his fever had all but disappeared and his blood sugar numbers were stable. That was a huge relief for Neal who thought back to the night before when he'd found Liam on the verge of a diabetic coma. He hoped for a less eventful night for both his son and himself and he sent Hope up to bed thanking her for all she'd done.

He was bone weary, wondering where he'd get the energy to face the next few days. Except for a quick text to give Sara the latest news, he hadn't talked to his wife in over twenty four hours and he looked forward to hearing her loving voice before he let sleep claim him. He settled into bed, the phone cradled against his ear as he waited for her to pick up.

'I was hoping you'd call' she said, sounding tired herself

'Was there ever any doubt?' Neal asked rhetorically

'So, how are _you_, my wonderful husband?' she asked as he smiled

'Tired. It's been quite an eventful day' Neal answered as he let his weary head fall back on the pillow - her pillow, the one with Sara's comforting and unique fragrance of lavender

He hadn't shared the events of the previous night with Sara; he knew her all too well and he was certain she would have hopped on a plane and come home if she'd known just how sick Liam was. He'd confess - eventually - but now wasn't the time.

'Is June all settled in?' Sara asked

'Yeah, she's peaceful, heavily sedated though. That palliative care unit is incredible – all the staff is so caring' he said, his eyes closing

'Neal, I want to come home' she suddenly said, her voice sullen

'No!' he answered adamantly 'Sorry...' he added '...of course you can come home but you don't _need_ to come home, not for me anyway'

'What about June?' Sara asked, obviously worried

'I don't know, honey. It's a crapshoot. She could last a few days, a few weeks... no one knows for sure' Neal responded

Sara sighed on the other end of the line. It was so hard to know what was best. Leaving the conference before her presentation would not be a smart move as far as her job was concerned and there would be consequences but she hated to think that June might pass away before she made it back. Mostly, she wanted to be there for Neal, to support him through this rough time.

'Sara?' Neal said, his voice rough

'Yeah?'

'I miss you. Our bed is cold without you' he said, his voice a lament

'Oh, Neal! Why don't you just close your eyes and go to sleep' she said

'Mmm' he moaned his eyes closed 'I want to hear your voice a little while longer. Tell me something... anything'

Sara let out a soft laugh at the other end of the phone. He was such a romantic and she knew exactly what he wanted – and needed – to hear.

'Neal Caffrey, I love you. You are the most wonderful, loving, caring man I've ever met' she said, meaning every single word of the sappy declaration

'Oh, yeah? You forgot sexy' he said with a devilish grin

'Oh... and sexy' she added, her voice languid

With that, Neal smiled and finally hung up, hoping for sweet dreams.

WCWCWC

On Tuesday morning, Liam was looking almost well enough to go back to his regular activities but Neal suggested he stay out of school one more day just to give himself a chance to fully recover.

'Can we visit Grandma June today, then?' the pre-teen asked as they finished up lunch

'I was going to drop in on her anyway, I guess I could drag you along' said Neal as he playfully poked his son in the ribs

'I have something I want to give her' said Liam, mysteriously

Neal looked at his son, a puzzled look on his face.

Liam's mind seemed to wander and all of a sudden he spoke up, an unexpected question on his lips.

'Dad, how did you _meet _Grandma June?' asked Liam, seemingly out of the blue

'You never heard that story?' Neal asked as Liam shook his head

Neal smiled as he recalled the circumstances surrounding their chance meeting – how destiny had intervened that day in the little thrift shop in Manhattan. Liam knew all about his dad's stint in prison and Neal was thankful that that part of the narrative was incidental to the story he was about to share. He recounted how June had walked into the shop and how he'd been curious when he'd seen her pull out all those fancy suits. He described how he'd felt an instant connection to her and how she'd told him about Byron's love for the finer things in life. He left out June's confession that Byron had won the Devore suit in a backroom poker game with Sy Devore himself – no sense in his son knowing _those_ details about his beloved grandma.

'_Do you live nearby?' Neal asked as he tried on the gorgeous vintage suit_

'_Not far' June responded as Neal smiled his best conman smile_

'_Would you like to come over for a cup of coffee?' she asked_

_Neal looked at the woman he'd just met and wondered what her angle was. She didn't know him from Adam – not even his name – and yet, she was inviting him back to her house for coffee; she was either very naive, an easy mark or maybe she was looking to con him herself – either way, Neal was intrigued. What could a woman of wealth possibly be thinking inviting a total stranger into her home? The little angel on his shoulder kept yelling at him to tell her to run the other way – as far away as possible from Neal Caffrey, conman extraordinaire._

'_Sure!' Neal responded. He was curious as to her motives and sharing a cup of coffee with this delightful woman sure beat going back to that fleabag hotel until he absolutely had to. _

_They made their way towards the mansion on Riverside Drive, June lacing her arm in Neal's as they walked. They talked about the last play June had seen at the Imperial Theatre and they discussed the merits of Italian roast versus the poor quality blends which were all the rage in fancy coffee houses. Finally the woman looked over at Neal with a smile._

'_By the way, I'm June, June Ellington' she said_

'_Neal... Caffrey' he responded, although why he'd hesitated he wasn't quite sure. It wasn't as if he was pulling a con or anything. Or was he?_

'_So Neal Caffrey, what were you doing in that thrift shop just now?' she asked_

_Neal was usually quick with a response but he took a second to mull things over as a half dozen scenarios played in quick succession in his head: he could be a down on his luck guy who'd just lost his job recently or maybe a poor hapless man whose wife had left him alone and bereft or perhaps some fellow who was recovering from a serious illness... He could play the sympathy card; see what this refined older lady could do for him. But surprisingly, even to himself, when he finally spoke, something entirely unexpected spilled out._

'_I was released from prison today' he said, instantly wishing he could take it back and tell her something else_

'_Prison?' she said without faltering, her arm still firmly laced in his_

'_I was given early release to__ work for the white collar division of the FBI. I was sentenced to four years for bond forgery and I'm kind of... well, I'm kind of an expert on forgeries all around so they want me to work off the rest of my sentence helping them catch some bad guys' he said, finding the words flowing more effortlessly now. He momentarily slowed the pace and lifted his left pant leg revealing his new piece of jewelry as she looked on with interest._

_As surprised as he was that he was actually sharing this information, Neal was even more shocked at June's reaction – or in this case, lack thereof. She was behaving as if what he'd just confessed was the most natural of explanations as to why someone would be foraging for people's hand me downs in a thrift shop._

'_Well, Neal, I can see you're a man with discriminating tastes' she said_

_He smiled as he looked at her. How had she been able to detect his appreciation for the finer things in life when he was standing there in front of her in an old weathered overcoat with a GPS tracking anklet on his leg, he wondered._

_They arrived at the house and the easy banter continued. The place was incredible – obviously the most majestic home in the neighborhood. June explained how the house had been home to her husband Byron and their two girls and how he'd died a few years back leaving her with the means to live her life as she pleased. She shared the fact that Byron had not always been a boy scout and suddenly the kindred spirits began to bond as they shared a cup of what Neal was discovering to be the finest Italian roast he'd ever tasted. An hour later, after some negotiation, they had come to an agreement: Neal would move into June's guest room in exchange for doing some odd jobs around the house, making both of them very happy indeed. _

The rest, as they say, was history.

Neal sat back as he watched Liam's face – of course, he'd sanitized the story just a little to make it more palatable for an impressionable young mind but basically the story was the same: a story about a chance meeting that had evolved into a lifetime of love and respect for this incredible woman who would eventually become his children's grandmother and godmother to his only son. He still owed this wonderful woman so much.

'I like it' Liam said, approvingly

'Well, I'm glad you like it, buddy. I guess you should always go with your instincts. Grandma June understood that from the very beginning' Neal said

'So, you ready to leave soon?' he asked as he stood to gather the lunch dishes

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The Milville boys and their nasty sidekick, Joe Morley, sat in their local diner in the Bronx, plotting their revenge on the Ellis/Caffrey/Burke trio. As a result of the incident at Sterling Bosch the year before, they had been sentenced on a variety of charges and they were pissed that they'd been foiled in their attempt to get their hands on the lucrative prizes in the SB vault.

After the fact, Pete Milville had read the papers, like everybody else, and he'd learned that the guy who had come in on his white horse that night was none other than Neal Caffrey, ex-CI for the FBI and that he was married to that loud-mouth redhead who'd given them such a hard time. That big black dude who'd ploughed into Pete worked for the Bureau so he was off-limits (everybody knew you didn't mess with the Feds) but that older guy, Burke, who'd had a squirmish with Johnny, well, he was retired and lo and behold, he just happened to be best of friends with the troublemaking couple.

The little expedition they were planning was purely a settling of scores, little else, and Pete – especially – felt he needed to get it out of his system before he could move on to more exciting and lucrative endeavours. He'd been stubborn and vengeful his whole life – his mom had always told him so – and it was a character flaw that he just couldn't overcome, not that he'd ever wanted to try. He remembered as far back as kindergarten when he'd sneakily poured his chocolate milk into little Matthew Simon's brand new winter boots in an effort to avenge the snarky comment the kid had made about his drawing – take that, you little brat he'd thought as he'd gleefully made a mess for the other kid to have to explain to his parents. Of course, Pete had wished he still had that damn chocolate milk when recess had come around and he'd had to watch his classmates enjoying their favorite libation – but the sacrifice had been well worth it when he'd later heard little wimpy Matty crying inconsolably in the cubby room!

He was pissed at Joe Morley too; the guy had given them intel that hadn't paid off and he'd ordered Johnny to track the guy down when he'd finally been released from jail, recruiting him to help with their little prank – which Joe was more than happy to do. He'd been burned by that bitch too and if he could help in making her life a little more miserable, he was definitely on board.

Pete glanced down at the crude plans that Joe Morley was drawing on a paper napkin – a rough diagram of the layout of the Raphael Gallery. The intention was to go in and make a big mess so the uppity couple and their smart ass friend would have to start building up their damn gallery again from scratch. Johnny had done research about the Raphael using his trusty Google search engine and he pulled out a printed page from his jeans pocket and began to paraphrase what he'd found out about the new gallery.

'This place panders to 'up and coming artists' Johnny said using exaggerated air quotes 'I don't think there's much valuable stuff in there'

'I noticed that they're displaying some stuff by Jonas Clifford when I was in the other day' Joe said

'Who the hell is 'Jonas Clifford'?' Johnny asked, _again _with the air quotes

'He's pretty well known – his stuff might be worth taking instead of destroying is all I'm saying' said Joe Morley without air quotes

'Look, Moe and Larry, this isn't the effen Louvre' said Pete 'We'll break in and just grab what we can, pummel the rest and make a run for it. What's the security system like?' he asked, turning to Joe

'It's nothing!' Joe laughed 'Certainly not connected to the police station, that's for damn sure. I can easily disable it – it's a Sec48, easy peasy'

They looked up at the waitress as she returned with their order 'Who ordered the cheesy omelet?' she asked

WCWCWC

Neal and Liam drove into Manhattan, avidly discussing the playoff situation in the NHL. Liam was a big hockey fan and his dad tried to take him to a couple of Rangers games every year. The playoffs were well underway and Neal had managed to snag some tickets to the second round game which was being played at Madison Square Garden the following Tuesday night. He was biting his tongue not to give it away – it was an early birthday gift for his son and he looked forward to sharing an evening with him in a loud, smelly building watching grown men fight over a small piece of rubber.

Neal could see Liam's eyes light up as they arrived in Manhattan; unlike his dad, he was a first generation suburbanite and only came downtown on special occasions. The pulse and rhythm was totally different from the more laid-back life they had in White Plains and he could see Liam enjoying the change of pace. Neal had found it difficult to adapt to the slower tempo when they'd moved there almost twenty years ago – and so had Sara – but he had no regrets and now he enjoyed heading out every morning to the large expanse which was Manhattan and be able return to the peace and tranquility of White Plains every night; it was the perfect balance.

They arrived at Mount Sinai Hospital and Neal parked the car, Liam anxious to jump out and go see his Grandma June.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa' Neal said as he placed a hand on his arm 'Just a minute, I need to tell you something first'

Liam pulled the car door shut and turned to face his dad.

'Grandma June... well, she's not how she was a few weeks ago' Neal began

'What do you mean?' Liam asked

'Well, she had a stroke and sometimes when she talks – _if_ she talks – things are not... as clear' he said, waiting for the information to sink into his young son's psyche

'Okay' said Liam

'And yesterday, like I told you, she had a heart attack and they've given her some really strong medication so she might just sleep the whole time we're there' Neal added

Liam nodded indicating he understood.

'So, don't be surprised if she's... confused or upset. She's not always sure who we are but I know she can feel our presence so just sit with her, talk to her, just keep things low key' Neal concluded

'Sure Dad. I just want to see her – it might be the last time...' the young man said, wise beyond his years

It was Neal's turn to nod and he let go of his son's arm, indicating he'd finished what he'd wanted to say and they both stepped out of the car into the sun.

WCWCWC

Although she'd been looking forward to this conference for weeks now, Sara Ellis had not been enjoying it one little bit. She just wanted to get their presentation out of the way and get home to her family - and the sooner, the better. She and Lydia had been scheduled to fly home on Saturday morning after the conference had officially ended with that big banquet on Friday night, but at the moment, she was sitting at her laptop, in her beautiful hotel room, checking out flights for late Wednesday night or first thing Thursday morning. She didn't want to miss out on spending time with her sister who had kindly invited Sara and her colleague to dinner on Wednesday night, but Sara didn't mind a really late flight out if she could get it. With any luck, she could be sleeping in her warm bed snuggled up against Neal by the early hours of Thursday morning.

There was a soft knock on the door and Sara got up to answer.

'Hey' said Lydia, standing there 'They're starting in a few minutes. Are you coming?'

'Yeah, yeah' said Sara, obviously distracted

'Is there anything wrong?' asked her friend as she followed Sara back into the room

Sara headed over to her laptop, collecting her things, putting everything away in the beautiful leather briefcase Neal had given her for her last birthday.

'It's just things at home, you know' she said, letting herself fall on the edge of the bed 'There's a lot happening and I feel like I should be there but...'

Lydia made her way over, taking a spot next to Sara and gently touching her hand.

'I know what you mean; you kinda wish you could be in two places at once, huh?' she said

Sara nodded. 'June might not hang on until I get back and Liam's been sick... and then, there's this whole thing with Neal and Hope although that seems to have been resolved. I just feel like I'm missing out on so much not being there for them... well, for Neal' Sara said, her voice reflective

She looked at Lydia, who was a new mom herself 'How are you coping with being away from Bea?'

Lydia laughed softly. 'Well, first off, Bea isn't sick, she's safe with her daddy so... for me this is, like amazing... to be living in the lap of luxury, not having to be up at five, no diapers to change... It's a welcome break'

Sara looked at her friend and smiled; she could certainly relate. She remembered those crazy years, when the kids were little and still needed her so much – going to the office was a break back then! But now, things were different; she felt lost without Neal and the kids – completely rudderless – and she wondered in passing when that transformation had happened, when had she started to realize that her own personal happiness was so intimately connected to the happiness and well-being of those she loved.

WCWCWC

'Hi Cindy!' Neal said as he and Liam walked into the quiet private room

The palliative care unit was made up of a dozen or so well-appointed rooms that mimicked a bedroom in your own home – warm, cozy and welcoming. If it hadn't been for the medical equipment strewn around the room, one might think they were in a fancy hotel room at the Four Seasons Hotel.

'Neal!' Cindy said as she stood to hug him. Cindy was still as gorgeous as ever although as a woman in her early forties, she had gained in maturity and poise. Her fifteen year old daughter sat nearby, her mind and eyes on her iPad and she glanced over at Neal and Liam, giving them a small wave.

'Hey Janelle' Neal called out 'So, how is she today?' he asked, turning back to Cindy

'She's been sleeping mostly, although she did open her eyes a couple of times and she seemed to recognize me but it's... it's so hard to tell...' Cindy said as she looked over at her loving grandmother

'Well, she's peaceful... and not in any pain. So I guess we can be thankful for that' Neal said as he touched her arm

She nodded and he could see tears pooling in her eyes.

'It's just that... I hate to leave because... every time I go, I wonder if... this is it. If it's the last time I'm going to get to see her' said Cindy

Neal nodded in understanding. He felt the same way. Every time his turn came up on the roster, he was happy that she was still with them, that he could still spend a few precious moments in her presence – even if it was only to watch her sleep. He watched as Cindy walked over to June and brought her mouth to her ear, whispering something softly then placing a kiss on her forehead.

'Sweetie, say goodbye to your great-grandma June' she told her daughter who stood and placed a gentle kiss on June's cheek

He wondered if he'd imagined it, but Neal thought he saw a soft smile on June's lips as the child pulled away. Cindy and her daughter said their goodbyes and retreated, leaving the afternoon crew to take over until Lorna's arrival which was planned for 6:00. Marion was scheduled to arrive from Nice sometime over the next twenty four hours and her sister was looking forward to seeing her and for both of them to be able to spend some precious time together with their beloved mom.

Neal moved over to the bed, pulling a couple of chairs closer for him and Liam to sit on. He had taken to reading the reviews for the latest Broadway and off-Broadway plays as June lay there even though he was unsure if she could hear him, somewhere in her muddled mind. Neal opened the NY Times to the Arts section and began to read the reviews of opening night for the latest play that had the world buzzing – some musical remake of a Disney classic. He read every word with emphasis, giving her time to fully grasp what he was saying - if indeed, she was actually hearing him - and every once in a while he would stop and glance over at Liam who continued gazing at June, watching for any sign that she could hear what Neal was saying.

After about an hour, Neal excused himself to use the washroom and upon returning he found Liam, sitting on the edge of the bed, holding his grandma's hand and speaking softly. He stopped in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt the intimate moment and he heard June's soft and faint voice as she said something to the young man. Liam placed a small object in her hand and placed his hand over top just holding it in place for a moment.

Neal cleared his throat, making his presence known and Liam looked up, smiling.

'She opened her eyes' he whispered '... and she said my name'

Neal made his way over and put a hand on his son's shoulder as he looked down at June who had returned to her peaceful slumber. He glanced down at her hands, noting the small object that Liam had placed there and he fought back a tear as he settled in next to his son.

With that, the Caffrey men resumed their vigil, with only each other for company.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_June hadn't felt this light and nimble on her feet in years. The dress she wore was made of sheer chiffon, the color of the deep blue sea and it flowed elegantly around her as she continued to move with ease on the dance floor. She had somehow shed her aging body, her sore bones, her aching muscles and her feet carried her effortlessly as she floated, Byron twirling her around with grace. Old age creeps up on you and June couldn't remember when, exactly, it had become so difficult to move her body with ease and poise but now, safely nestled in her husband's loving arms, she had somehow returned to a time where she could move with grace and self-assurance._

'_Ah, June-bug, you're just as limber as you've always been' Byron whispered in her ear as he pulled her in close_

_June gazed into his eyes; it had been so very long since she'd been with him and she just wanted to keep staring into those dark pools; she'd always loved how the corners of his eyes crinkled whenever he smiled._

'_Marion's coming and you need to go back. They all need closure, sweetheart' he said softly_

'_But I don't want to go back' she replied, smiling, as she kept swaying to the rhythm of the music _

'_So many people have loved you and you need to give them all a chance to say goodbye' he repeated as she gave him a small pouty smile_

'_But I'll be right here when you come back. And we can dance... well, for as long as you want' he added_

The monitors around them droned on monotonously as Neal and Liam continued to sit by June's side, the sound almost hypnotic - and Neal could feel himself starting to drift off to their repetitive hum.

The door opened and a nurse walked in, discreetly making her way to where the monitors continued to beep, rhythmically.

'Her pulse is really slow' she observed as she glanced at the monitor

Neal sat up, a look of concern on his face.

'It's alright' the nurse reassured him 'It's been fluctuating since she arrived; it's likely just the meds'

Neal smiled at her. The warmth and respect with which the woman leaned over to touch June's forehead was more than reassuring. All he'd ever wanted was for June to be on the receiving end of the gentleness and kindness she'd displayed to others her whole life. The touch seemed to bring her back and the monitor began to beat at a faster pace as June opened up her eyes momentarily, noticing Neal sitting there.

'Neal...' she whispered, her eyes clear

He stood in a flash, getting a little closer and sitting on the edge of the bed to better hear her soft raspy voice.

'June...' he said lovingly

'I am so proud of you' she whispered as he took her hand

That sounded a little too much like goodbye and Neal could feel his eyes start to water as he continued to gaze at her.

'June – you've been my saving grace. I couldn't have accomplished any of the things I've done if it hadn't been for you' he said, trying to control the wavering of his voice

'Nonsense, darling. The good in you... it was always there, deep inside. I just helped you see who you really are' she continued, her voice breathless

She had barely finished speaking when her eyes closed just as suddenly as they'd opened and Neal was left there to hold her hand and resume listening to the reassuring beep of the nearby monitor.

WCWCWC

Hope looked down at the detailed instructions her dad had left regarding dinner and she turned to Cam who was at the kitchen island cutting up some veggies for a salad.

'Do you think I should set the table in the dining room?' she asked of him

'I don't think so' he answered 'if Bea gets restless, she can play in the family room and we can keep an eye on her'

It was Tuesday night and despite all that was happening around them, Neal hadn't wanted to cancel on Sam's visit with little Bea. Ever since she'd arrived in their lives, the baby had brought nothing but joy and laughter and Neal, especially, was enjoying his role as godfather to the little girl. Sam and Lydia had been very generous in sharing their daughter; Sara and Neal had had her over to their place as often as they could, doting on her and basically spoiling her rotten. She was a beautiful child, sandy blond curls and blue eyes; she had that carefree quality that all kids have, still unscathed by life's disappointments and hardships and whenever she was around, Neal would forget all about all those small (and even the bigger) worries of everyday life.

Cam came up behind his girlfriend, lacing his arms around her waist as Hope giggled. Cameron Armstrong had become a very loving boyfriend, affectionate and warm and their relationship had blossomed over the year they'd been together; unexpectedly, it had grown into something quite serious and committed. Hope would be going away to college over the next year and she'd begun to wonder how her relationship with Cam would play out once she left for Pittsburgh. She turned to face him, looking into his eyes; so thankful to have this amazing guy in her life.

'You need to get back to that salad, mister' she said, rather unconvincingly as he placed a warm kiss on her lips

'Huh, huh' he muttered, totally ignoring her and making her laugh.

WCWCWC

'I'm really glad I came' Liam said as he sat with his dad in the car

'Me too. I know it meant a lot to Grandma June to have you there' Neal said

After a few seconds of silence, he added

'I saw what you put in her hand'

'It's stupid...' Liam answered, obviously uncomfortable

'It's _not_ stupid – I know how much that pebble means to you... and what it represents for you' Neal said with a smile

Liam shrugged, slightly embarrassed. For years, he'd been carrying around this beautiful, smooth stone he'd found on the beach of Lake Muskoka when he was barely three years old. At first, it had been just another pretty thing you collected when you were little, that age where you want to hoard things of seeming insignificance. But he had held on to it over time and it had since become his good luck charm – he always had it in his pocket on test days and on game days, he would tuck the flat smooth stone inside his gym sock for good fortune. It had never let him down and he wanted to share the good vibes he'd always gotten from the inanimate object with his grandma.

'I just thought it might bring her luck; not that she'll get better but you know... so she could leave this world peacefully' he said, sounding wise beyond his years

Neal just nodded in amazement – his kids surprised him every time.

WCWCWC

Neal finished tidying up the kitchen as his mind wandered to the events of the evening. Sam's visit had done him a world of good; helping him forget for just a few moments that his beloved June was on the cusp of leaving them. Beatrice's presence never failed; it let him focus his attention on all that was good about life: joy, laughter and wonder at all that life could offer. He'd played with her after dinner, handing her the large puzzle pieces as she'd placed them one by one, chattering away, repeating everything he said – or trying to, at least. She was a veritable chatter box and she spoke non-stop – although deciphering what she was trying to say was not always an easy task.

'Neeeeeel' she'd squealed as he'd laid on his back, tossing her in the air and watching her giggle fiercely as she let herself fall back into his waiting arms. She grinned at him, laughing uncontrollably, a look of total trust and abandon in her eyes and he'd marvelled once again at the utter innocence he saw there. If only one could bottle those giggles, they would make a fortune, he thought, as he giggled uncontrollably himself.

It was late but he knew Sara would still be up waiting for his call, waiting to hear all the news from home – the good and the not so good. He grabbed the phone and let himself fall on the couch in the family room, kicking off his shoes and putting his feet up on the sofa as he dialed.

WCWCWC

'Well, if we're not ready now, we never will be' Sara said as she began to tidy up the mess of papers on the bed

'It's going to be great!' said Lydia, excitement obvious in her voice

She hadn't had much of an opportunity to attend such large-scale conferences in the past. Being part of the twosome that was being featured at the luncheon the next day was exciting and invigorating for an up and comer like Lydia Jordan.

'Sara...' she began, tentatively 'I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. I've learned so much just by watching you work. But for you to take me under your wing like you've done in this mentoring program... well, it's more than I could possibly hope for'

'You're a class act, Lydia' Sara responded 'It's an honor for me to get to work closely with you'

The women smiled at each other in mutual admiration and Lydia rose to leave, just as Sara's phone rang nearby.

'Well, that sounds like your nightly phone call from home' she said, as she left 'Sleep well, big day tomorrow'

Sara turned to grab her phone and made room on the bed so she could get comfortable; this was the highlight of her day – hearing Neal's voice across the miles.

'Hey Repo. How was today?' he asked as she answered

'Tedious ... and long' she responded with a grin

He didn't call her that very often anymore but it still made her smile to hear the nickname he'd used off and on over the years – it was affectionate and just a little facetious.

'So, big presentation tomorrow, huh?' he said

'Yeah, Lydia and I just went over everything one last time. I think we're ready' said Sara, sounding so far away

'You know, Peter and I did something like that at a best practices symposium once. People are just going to want to ask some questions about what makes the mentoring program work. Considering you're the one who put it together... you'll be a hit' he said, ever the encouraging husband

Sara laughed – even miles away Neal was still her one-man cheering section.

'How was June today?' Sara asked, her voice sombre

'Liam came with me; I was really glad. I don't think she has much time left' Neal answered, his voice soft and faraway

Sara let out a sigh. 'I hope I get there before it's too late' she said, her voice full of regret

'June knows how you feel about her; try not worry about it' Neal said, hoping to reassure her

'Is Liam going back to school tomorrow?' she asked, moving on to another subject

'Yeah, he's becoming a nuisance' he laughed 'so it's time to go back to his routine'

'Did you end up canceling on Sam tonight?' she asked

'No, I thought we could all use some normalcy around here. Do you know what little Bea said tonight?' he said, his voice suddenly joyful

'I think you're about to tell me'

'She pointed to a piece of garlic bread and she stopped and just looked at me, waiting for me to tell her what it was called and then she tried to repeat it' he laughed 'It came out something like 'rick bed'

'That's adorable; I wish I could have been there' Sara responded with a wide grin

'Well, she was _looking _for you when she came into the house; she kept walking around and calling out for you 'Ara, Ara'

At this, Sara erupted with laughter; she loved her goddaughter and just the thought of her little voice echoing through the house calling her name filled her with joy. She thought about everything at home and suddenly turned serious.

'Neal, I'm trying to get a flight out really late tomorrow night' she said

'Honey, that's ridiculous. Just have a nice visit with Emily and a good night's sleep and you can fly out on Thursday morning if you really want to. A couple of hours aren't going to make any difference' Neal reasoned

'I'll see. I just want to get home. I miss you...'

'Now, who's the romantic?' he asked teasingly

'I don't know... I guess it's this thing with June. I... I realize that we never know how much time we have – any of us – and I just don't want to spend any time away from the people I love' she answered, an unusually emotional declaration

'Hey, stop it! I'll be here when you get back. I'm not going _anywhere_' he answered although as he spoke, he couldn't possibly imagine just how ominous his words were

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Neal rose bright and early on Wednesday morning, feeling refreshed and looking forward to spending the day at the gallery. He wasn't scheduled to visit June but he thought he might drop in on her later in the day anyway. Marion was arriving from Nice and would likely be spending time with her mom and Samantha, one of June's granddaughters, had pulled the early morning shift by her grandmother's bedside.

It would be nice to spend time at the gallery for a change; they were getting some new stuff in from a local artist Neal had recently come across and he was anxious to display her work front and centre in the main room of the gallery. He was looking forward to spending the day with Peter as well; he hadn't seen much of his best friend in the last little while.

He got the kids organized for school – well Liam, mostly, who was returning after having been off sick since the week before. Neal reminded him to check his blood sugar levels and gave him one last speech about the importance of eating what he'd packed for him, finally sending him on his way with a reminder to call if he wasn't feeling well.

'Dad, I was thinking I'd drop by the gallery after school' said Hope as she grabbed some fruit to put into her lunch bag

'Sure, I'll be there until closing time' Neal answered

'I want to finish writing up my comments on the art projects before Saturday's class' she added, sounding very much like the serious art teacher she had become

'There's one piece I'd really like your opinion on' she added

'Amanda's?' Neal asked

'Yeah, how did you know?' she asked, frowning

'You've only been raving about her since the moment she stepped into your class' answered Neal giving her a playful shove

'Well, she's... she's got something really special going on and... I really don't want to steer her in the wrong direction'

Neal gave a shrug 'I don't think you can steer her in the wrong direction, sweet pea. You've got amazing instincts – but if you want my opinion, I'll be happy to take a look'

They parted ways and within forty five minutes, Neal was arriving at the gallery surprised to find the 'open' sign already hanging in the window and the door to the store unlocked. It was only 9:45, fifteen minutes to opening, but Peter was already toiling away at the small desk in the corner, papers strewn all around him.

'Hey!' Neal called out as he walked over to place a fresh cup of joe in front of his partner 'You're early'

Truth be told, Peter was an early riser and he liked getting a jump start on his day. The gallery usually got busy by noon and it was often distracting to work with the constant comings and goings.

'Been here since 8:00' he said as he took a sip of coffee

Neal made his way over to the counter where he usually set up and began poking around at the variety of 'stuff' stacked on the shelves underneath. Whenever Peter worked in the gallery, Neal had gotten into the habit of giving him the desk and he would set up shop behind the counter by the cash register, sitting on the small stool, going over the receipts of the day and doing other sundry tasks.

'So, what's been going on? I feel like I haven't been here in ages' said Neal

'With good reason' Peter said as he stood to join his partner 'How is she?' – there was no need to specify who _she_ was

Neal let out a lungfull of air before answering.

'Not good. She's really gone downhill – and just the fact that she's in the palliative care unit, well, it's a constant reminder that she doesn't have much time left'

Peter put a comforting hand on Neal's shoulder as he spoke 'She's had a good full life'

'You're right - but it doesn't make saying goodbye any easier' Neal answered wistfully

Peter nodded in agreement; when you loved someone, it was never easy to let them go, no matter their age.

'On Monday...' Neal began, remembering the horror of watching June seemingly slip away '... I thought we were going to lose her. She had a heart attack in the ambulance right in front of me and I was just sitting there... helpless...'

'Grief is tough' Peter agreed 'I remember when my mom passed away two years ago. You think you're a grown man with a life of your own but losing your mom at any age is so... it's hard'

Neal was thankful for Peter's sensitivity. Sure, strictly speaking, June Ellington had never been more than a good friend on paper, but to Neal, she was the closest thing he'd ever had to a mother, someone who had always been there and who believed in him, no matter what foolish scheme he was involved in. June had seen Neal make one mistake after another in those early years, watching him fall and get back on his feet again and yet she'd never once commented, not unless Neal asked for her advice – which he'd done frequently as the years passed. The love she'd shown him was unconditional, a mother's love and Neal was eternally grateful that she'd seen a glimmer of something positive in his eyes that day they'd met, eons ago. He wasn't quite sure how he would have managed without her; and now, she was leaving to join her beloved husband and although he was sad, Neal was strangely comforted to think that Byron was waiting for his wife on the other side.

'It's just a reminder that we're all headed that way, you know' he said, quietly 'You're 66, I'm 54... jeez, Peter, where have all the years gone?' Neal stated as he looked at his buddy

'But it's a great life, Neal. We've both been so lucky; we've got El and Sara and you've got the kids' Peter answered

'Yeah, we do, don't we?' Neal said, coming out of his funk

'So, what have the sales been like?' he continued as he shook off the melancholy and returned to the task at hand

WCWCWC

The large conference room buzzed as everyone took place for the Wednesday noon luncheon at the Langham Hotel in Chicago. The conference participants were over 500 strong and they'd spent all week together exchanging on best practices in the insurance recovery business with many of the country's large firms represented and jostling for position as perceived leaders in their very specialized field.

Recovery was a very complex exercise and insurance investigators were a very rare breed: a combination of law abiding, trustworthy individuals with just a touch of scoundrel thrown in to get the job done since it often meant working in grey areas. It was not an easily mastered profession and a seasoned pro like Sara could usually tell within a very short period of time if someone had what it took to excel at the job. Over time, she'd begun to take note of the many characteristics she was looking for in a competent investigator and she had developed a tool to help her assess the potential in her newly hired staff. Once she got her hands on a potential star, she would endeavor to work closely with the individual and provide guidance and support in a more intensive way, mentoring them until she brought them to the peak of excellence.

Her bosses had seen the positive results as these 'super-investigators' delivered the goods on a consistent basis and they'd given Sara some time off to consolidate her many thoughts on the subject and come up with a proper mentoring program – something which could be shared with others in the field.

Sara looked around the room at the many faces she'd seen over the years; she sat on the podium with Lydia by her side as the room began to hush with the arrival of the moderator who stood at the microphone, waiting for silence.

'Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you'll enjoy the wonderful lunch which was prepared for you by the capable staff of the hotel. To keep you company, we've invited Ms Sara Ellis from Sterling Bosch to enlighten us regarding her mentoring program which has proven to be a big success. Ms Ellis will outline the program for us and then, she and Lydia Jordan, who had been mentored by Ms Ellis for the past two years, will take questions on the program. So, as you dig into that lovely lobster bisque, let me introduce to you, Ms Sara Ellis' he said

The crowd applauded enthusiastically as Sara made her way to the microphone, looking very confident in a gorgeous off-white tailored suit and her signature four inch heels. She was in her element and she smiled as she began to speak.

WCWCWC

'Hope!' Peter called out as the little bell over the door jingled and he caught sight of the young woman

He and Hope were close, always had been and even though she was a young woman now and not some child who needed her Uncle Peter's help in tying her shoes, they still remained kindred spirits, sharing the ups and downs of life. Hope still confided in her godfather although now the topics revolved around her choice of university, her relationship with Cam, her doubts about her future and any issues she might be having with her mom and dad. Peter loved playing the role of confidant, watching as the little girl matured into an enlightened and fulfilled young woman. He was proud of who she was and he knew that she was who she was due in large part to Sara and Neal's support and unwavering love for their daughter. He remembered a time when Neal was struggling himself, wondering if he would ever rise to the challenge of being a good dad and a loving husband; he had more than exceeded Peter's expectations.

'Hi Uncle Peter' she responded as she walked over to give him a hug 'Where's Dad? I thought he was here all day'

'He is – he just went next door to get us coffee' Peter responded

Hope put down her purse and her school bag and began to make her way to the back room where classes were held and where all the new arrivals were stored.

'What's all this?' she called out as Peter made his way to the doorway separating the two rooms

'That's stuff your dad commissioned from a new artist he saw – I think her name is Annie... something or other... anyway she's good' he said as Hope proceeded to open one of the crates and pull out a painting

'Oh, I like this!' she exclaimed as she took in the portrait

'Your dad thought it would be a welcome addition; we've had a lot of abstract styles in lately' Peter commented

Neal's role as creative head of the gallery gave him total control over any and all artistic decisions as they related to the business and Peter respected Neal's judgement, without question. Neal had an excellent eye for new artists and he spent a lot of his time going to private exhibitions trying to find up-and-comers who had not yet had the opportunity to properly show off their talent. After two years of existence, the Raphael was gaining a solid reputation as a gallery that took a chance on new artists and Neal had a loyal customer base that was constantly looking for new things.

The door opened and Peter turned to see the man himself, standing in the doorway with a big grin on his face and a couple of lattes in his hands.

WCWCWC

Neal thanked the patron for his purchase and followed him to the door of the gallery, holding it open for him; another satisfied customer. He checked the time; it was just past five o'clock and except for a quick call from Lorna at lunchtime, telling him that nothing much had changed and informing him that Marion had finally arrived, he hadn't heard anything about June all day. He glanced at his phone, noticing the message light blinking – how had he missed that, he wondered, as he jumped on the cell to retrieve the archived message.

'Neal, it's Lorna again. Mom's fading fast; if you want to see her one last time, I think you should get here as soon as you can' he heard, in horror

'Hope, I've got to get to the hospital' he yelled as he grabbed a few things

'What?' she asked, poking her head out of the backroom

'Grandma June...' he said

'I'm coming with you' said Hope, grabbing her purse and running out to catch up with her dad who was already halfway out of the door.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Pete Milville sat in front of his rib-eye steak, knife in hand as he dug in hungrily. He felt like a hockey player before the big game, beefing up on protein to get him through the next few hours – although in his case, the big exploit was a slash and run at the Raphael Gallery. Johnny stood nearby going over the equipment needed for their little outing – some small, sharp knives and a couple of sledge hammers thrown in for good measure. He'd only been out for a little more than twenty four hours but until he got this out of his system, Pete felt like he couldn't go on with his life. He needed to get revenge against those who had thwarted his efforts at Sterling Bosch, only then could he carry on with all the wonderful, illicit plans he'd hatched while he was rotting in the slammer.

He felt the reassuring presence of the gun tucked into the back of his waist – it never hurt to have some insurance along in case of trouble.

WCWCWC

Hope had barely slowed down long enough to lock the door of the gallery when she noticed that Neal had already made it to the car and was parked in front waiting for her. Mt. Sinai was normally a ten minute drive from the Chelsea Art District but it was 5:00 in the afternoon and Neal cringed as he looked up ahead at the midweek traffic on 11th Avenue. That message from Lorna had come in over an hour ago – probably when Neal had been up on the second floor with Mr. Jennings, one of their regular customers, who'd been humming and hawing about which one of Hope's paintings he was going to take home with him. Neal had never thought to check his phone when he'd come back down and now he was bitterly regretting his oversight.

Hope sat by his side in silence, aware that there was absolutely nothing she could say to make this inevitable moment any easier; she prayed that Neal would get there in time to at least spend a few precious moments with his surrogate mom before she left this earth. Despite the traffic and Neal's shaking hands, they made it to the hospital in 22 minutes and he pulled onto George Street, headed for the nearby parking lot.

'Dad, pull up to the front and I'll go park the car' Hope said, the first words she'd uttered since they'd left the gallery

Neal gave her a small appreciative smile and did as he was told, pulling up to the main door of the hospital and jumping out of the car even before it had completely stilled. Hope watched as he ran to the door - Neal could still move like an agile, stealthy cat when he decided to run; she just hoped he wasn't too late.

WCWCWC

Sara Ellis and Lydia Jordan stood in front of the hotel in downtown Chicago waiting for their ride. The presentation had gone off without a hitch and, afterwards, Sara had been approached by several executives from the larger insurance companies asking for details – two of them had even asked if Sara would agree to come to them and present her mentoring model to their staff. All in all, her presentation had been a success and now that it was finally behind her, Sara's thoughts were firmly on getting back home as soon as possible. She had booked a flight at noon the next day – a direct flight to JFK which would arrive just before 3:00 New York time and she couldn't wait to get home.

Her musings were interrupted by a honking car and Sara looked up to see Emily Ellis-Foster waving frantically a few cars back from where they stood, caught in traffic.

'There she is' Sara said to Lydia as the women made their way over to join her sister.

WCWCWC

Neal flew past the nurses' station and on towards June's hospital room. He spotted Lorna chatting quietly with her daughters Samantha and Junie, just outside the door. He didn't know Junie very well, having only met her on a couple of occasions, but he smiled at her, noticing a young girl of no more than five or six hanging on tightly to her mom's waist, looking very timidly at him.

'Neal! You made it!' Lorna said as she walked over to greet him

'Am I ...' Neal began, breathless, unable to finish the sentence

'No, you're not too late. She's been hanging on... I think she wants to make sure that everyone gets a chance to say goodbye' Lorna said as she hugged him.

Neal took a deep breath and looked over at the sad faces of Samantha and Junie as Lorna laced her arm in his and led him into the inner sanctum. Despite the eerie silence in the room, the place was packed and Neal looked around at all the familiar faces as he stepped in. Marion sat by the bed, holding her mother's hand as her husband Mort stood behind her, hand lovingly placed on her shoulder. Cindy stood nearby with her arms around her two kids as did her older sister, Maisie and her husband. Neal also noticed Samantha's two teenage daughters huddled in a corner of the room, silent.

Sometimes Neal felt like an intruder in the Ellington family – at first glance, he certainly didn't look like he belonged – but of all of June's kids, he'd been the one most present in her life in recent years. The fact that he lived nearby afforded him the unique opportunity to spend lots of quality time with her and he was forever grateful for that chance. June had been there for all of the important milestones in his life: his wedding, the birth of the two kids, the opening of the gallery – she'd cheered him on every step of the way and she'd stood by him whenever things got rough.

'Hi Neal' said Marion as she stood to hug him 'She opened her eyes and asked for you a little while ago'

Her words tore through Neal's shattered heart; June had asked for him and he hadn't been there. What if she passed away without knowing he was there, by her side?

Marion stood to give up her spot to Neal.

'We've all had a chance to say goodbye. It's your turn' she added

Suddenly, Neal was filled with pain and anguish; he hadn't much thought of what June's last moments might be like, he hadn't wanted to dwell on that... but now that the end was near, he felt at a loss for words and his heart ached as he took in the sight of June looking so small and fragile on the bed. What could he possibly say that would convey to her all that she'd meant to him – and would she even hear him if and when he finally found the right words.

He heard a small commotion as Hope arrived in the room and Cindy took her by the shoulders and brought her over to where Neal sat, his hand clasped gently around June's unresponsive fingers. Hope looked around, feeling ill at ease, yet wanting desperately to give her dad some measure of comfort as he said goodbye to this wonderful woman who'd meant so much to him. She took a deep breath and thought of her mom; how would Sara handle the situation if she were here. She sidled up to her dad and placed a reassuring hand on Neal's shoulder, immediately feeling him relax at her touch – it was all she could do and yet in that moment, it was enough.

'June' Neal whispered 'I'm here, with Hope'

June continued to breathe, ever so slowly as the monitor droned on at a sluggish pace almost as if each beep was going to be the last. At the sound of Neal's voice, her hand moved in his and Neal took that as a sign that she was hearing him.

'Everybody's here, June' he continued his voice barely a whisper 'We love you and we want you to know, that you don't need to worry about anybody else. You can let everything go; Byron is waiting for you'

He heard a small choked sob coming from behind him as his words echoed softly in the room. June's eyes fluttered for a moment then opened and Neal couldn't tell if she was looking at him or through him – but it didn't matter. Neal was just thankful to be able to look into those beautiful eyes one last time; he could see all the love and warmth there just as he'd seen twenty five years before when their eyes had met for the very first time and Neal just smiled back, his eyes filled with tears.

Her eyes closed almost immediately and he felt her hand go limp in his once again as the monitor slowed to an even more weary pace and he could hear some muttering behind him as someone said a prayer. He just sat there, immobile, watching and waiting, feeling so privileged to be there in the presence of this amazing woman who'd meant so much to so many.

Within a few minutes, everyone had gathered around him and he could feel several hands on his shoulder now as everyone waited for the inevitable, for that last beep... that last breath.

WCWCWC

'Anyway, she just looked at me guiltily when I walked in, holding the crayon in her hand and smiling as if somebody else had made the mess on the wall' said Lydia as she recounted little Beatrice's last exploit.

Sara and Emily laughed as they recalled what it was like to have a toddler in their midst. Emily had been a school teacher and knew all too well what young kids were capable of and Sara... well, Sara was a mom and she'd walked in on a few similar situations when her kids had been little.

She was beginning to relax and she took another sip of the excellent wine Emily had served with dinner. She'd heard from Neal mid-afternoon and he'd reported that there was nothing new as far as June was concerned; Sara was still hopeful that she would have a chance to see her one last time when she finally made it home. Maybe she could head over directly to the hospital when Neal picked her up at the airport the next day, she thought.

She heard her dining companions break out in laughter once more and she turned her attention back to the conversation at hand, turning off her overactive mind.

WCWCWC

_June looked down at the beautiful dress lying on the bed. She leaned in, picking it up and making quick work of changing into it as she glanced at her reflection in the nearby mirror. She could hear the sweet sound of Frank Sinatra singing in the next room and she excitedly opened the door just in time to see Byron turning towards her, his eyes alight and full of love, his arms outstretched and welcoming._

WCWCWC

June looked even more peaceful and serene once they'd removed the breathing tube and the leads to the various monitors she'd been hooked up to. The room was quieter without the constant hum of the medical equipment and family members moved in and out, one by one, to be in her presence one last time. The nurse had reassured them that there was no need to hurry – they could take all the time they needed to say goodbye. Although June' spirit had left her body, she still looked the same as if she were sleeping peacefully, without a care in the world.

Hope took her turn, leaning in to place a warm kiss on her grandma's cool forehead as Neal looked on, grief apparent on his face. He gave his daughter a reassuring squeeze as he took his turn, a wayward tear falling on June's face as he leaned in to say goodbye; the tear he'd shed lay on her cheek almost as if she'd been the one to cry it and Neal wiped it away lovingly before turning away to leave.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

It was getting close to nine o'clock and Neal was still sitting in the hospital waiting room surrounded by the rest of the Ellington clan; as always, there was solace and comfort in being together in times of distress and no one seemed to be in a hurry to leave.

Neal's mind wandered and he turned to Hope, his face suddenly panicked as he spoke.

'Oh, my God, Liam!' he said as he made a grab for his phone

'It's okay, Dad. Uncle Mozzie's with him. I called him as soon as we got here' said Hope, her voice reassuring

Neal gave her a small smile – leave it to Hope to take care of things just like her mom would have done if she'd been there. Liam wasn't a baby anymore but he'd just been really sick and Neal didn't want him sitting alone at home, wondering where his dad and sister were.

Everything had happened in quick succession as they'd waited for the doctor to arrive to confirm June's passing. Lorna and Marion had asked Neal to sit with them and discuss the funeral arrangements, a conversation he was somewhat surprised yet grateful to be involved in. Strictly speaking, he had no legal rights as far as June Ellington was concerned but Lorna and Marion had been increasingly respectful of the important role he'd played in June's life – and the place he occupied in her heart. They wanted Neal involved in the planning of the ceremony and both women agreed that they would be most appreciative if Neal would give the eulogy, something that had honored and terrified him in equal measure.

There were still many relatives to contact – Byron had one living sister and of course, there were numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and nephews to say nothing of the more distant relatives such as cousins of June's and Byron's. The trio agreed to wait a week for the ceremony in order to give everybody a chance to come to New York, where they all felt the service should be held – after all, this was June's home, where she'd lived her whole adult life. They wanted things done right and that meant careful planning - and careful planning took some time.

Neal's mind wandered back to Sara as it had several times over the past couple of hours. He dreaded having to give her the news; he knew she would feel guilty about not coming home sooner and he realized he had put off calling her long enough.

'Honey, I'm going to go call Mom' he said as he stood to find a quiet corner to make the call

Hope nodded as she let go of his arm which she'd been clutching for the last half hour, unbeknownst to either one of them. She watched as he pulled away, trying to act strong and brave when he was obviously so sad and heartbroken. In her child's eyes, her dad was a tough, strapping man who could fix just about anything – he could right any wrong, kiss away any hurt, fix any problem. But this – losing someone he loved – could never be fixed and she knew that her dad would live with that little bit of sadness tucked away in a hidden corner of his heart for the rest of his life.

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The phone rang as the women sat having coffee, the Ellis sisters reminiscing about their long-ago trip to London and reliving some long forgotten yet happy memories. Sara reached into her purse, surprised to hear it ring; she and Neal had agreed that _she_ would call _him_ once she got back to her room after dinner. If he was calling now, that could only mean one thing - and it wasn't good news. She ducked into the nearby kitchen for privacy, answering as she went.

'Neal?' she said, not even bothering to say hello

'Hi sweetheart' Neal answered, his voice serious

'Is it June?' she asked without so much as taking a breath

'She died about two hours ago' he answered somberly, although his voice was calm and steady

'Oh, Neal! I'm so sorry' said Sara, the emotion rising in her voice

'There's nothing you could have done, honey. She went very peacefully and her family was around her' Neal said

At the sound of those words, Sara fell apart. Family? _She_ was family and she should have been there by Neal's side when it happened, saying goodbye to June and comforting her husband.

'Sara, Sara, stop it. I can feel the guilt oozing over the phone line. She knew... she knew how much she meant to you' he said, his voice reassuring

'Maybe I can try to get an overnight flight...' Sara began before Neal interrupted

'That's crazy. You'll be here by 3:00 tomorrow; there's nothing you can do before then anyway'

'I could hold you in my arms' she answered, her voice still shaky

Neal swallowed hard to keep from crying. 'I'll take a rain check on that, okay?'

'Neal, I am so, so... so sorry' she said

'I love you, honey. Try to get some sleep, okay. I'll be there waiting for you when you step off that plane' he said, trying to keep things light

'I'm counting on it' she said in response

Unfortunately, fate had other plans, as they were both about to find out.

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'She's dead, isn't she?' Liam asked as Mozzie hung up the phone, his face ashen

His uncle Mozzie was a wild and crazy guy with a wicked sense of humor and the gift of the gab and it was a rare occasion when the man didn't have a quick and witty retort to what he deemed was a stupid question. Not that this was a stupid question... Liam watched as Mozzie sat there looking very pale and staring into space. He'd loved June for so many years; she was a kindred spirit and Mozzie's mind flashed back to all the joy and mischief he'd shared with her since he'd first set foot in her home on Riverside Drive. Her death, although expected, was painfully difficult to accept; it was the end of an era that Mozzie wasn't the least prepared to let go.

After a few seconds, he stood and walked over to Liam who'd been busily preparing a late-night snack as Raffie eagerly sniffed around his feet. Mozzie opened his arms and Liam let himself be held by his godfather as they both wept with Raffie whimpering by their side.

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The men had decided to enter the gallery from the back door which led to the alley behind West 27th. That way, they could park their van away from prying eyes and move around more easily. The back door was easily jimmied open and Pete held his breath as he waited for the telltale sound of the alarm waiting to be deactivated. But the sound didn't come and he made his way into the main room of the gallery towards the front door to investigate, a penlight in hand. The solid green light of the alarm glowed in the dark room indicating that it had not been turned on and Pete snickered at the stupidity of the owners who hadn't even bothered to protect their shop – they deserved to have the place ransacked.

He went back to let Johnny and Joe in and the three men got to work with Joe heading upstairs to the second floor to see if there was anything worth taking. The brothers wasted no time getting to work - smashing everything in sight and in the process, destroying everything Neal and Sara had worked so very hard for all those years.

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'Who was it, honey?' El asked as she came into the living room to find Peter staring into space

'It was Hope' he answered, almost by rote

Elizabeth looked at him, puzzled. It was almost ten o'clock on a weeknight, definitely an unusual time for their goddaughter to be calling.

'June died' he said quietly

'Oh, honey' El said as she made her way over and sat next to Peter

'Neal must be a mess' Peter said, always thinking of his best friend

'Is Sara back from her trip yet?' El asked

She knew her best friend was away on business and she hadn't heard from her since the previous weekend when they'd chatted over the phone, Sara obviously excited about her upcoming trip.

'No, she's not' Peter responded

'Oh, poor Neal. He must be so upset' she said, stating the obvious

'Yeah' said Peter, lost in thought 'I'll give him a bit of space and I'll check in on him in the morning'

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'Not really' Hope said into her phone 'There's nothing you can do'

Cameron had just offered to come over and be with Hope but she felt that Neal needed _her_ more than _she _needed Cam; her place was with her dad, staying close to him, at least until her mom came home.

'I could be there in a flash if you need me' he repeated

He was such a wonderful and caring boyfriend, always there whenever she needed anything.

'No, really. I'm fine. I'm more worried about my dad; he's trying to put on a brave face but... Anyway, my mom's coming home tomorrow, that'll help' she said

'Alright, sweetie' he said 'I'll call you in the morning'

'Thanks Cam' she said before signing off

She could see Neal walking towards her, eyes red and puffy, looking defeated as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He suddenly looked old and Hope realized that someday, hopefully in the _very_ distant future, she'd be grieving his passing and she immediately shook off the macabre thought as she forced herself to smile up at him.

'Hey' Neal said as he put his arm around his little girl 'There's nothing more we can do around here tonight. What do you say we go home and see Liam'

She nodded and put her arm around Neal's back, feeling him relax as she hugged him and they made their way out of hospital, into the cool spring night, their arms tightly wound around each other.

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Joe came thundering down the stairs of the Raphael Gallery carrying three paintings which he'd deemed good enough to fence. He found Johnny with the sledge hammer, smashing away at one of the paintings from the main showroom while Pete moved around the back, turning everything upside down while he decided what to steal and what to destroy. The place was beginning to look like a war zone, the walls having been damaged as the men slammed away at the artwork on the walls.

'Put that stuff in the van' Pete ordered as Joe walked past him on his way to the back door

'Johnny! Two more minutes' he called out to his brother who was still busy creating a mess on the gallery's main floor.

Pete looked on with a devilish grin – he was definitely feeling better now that he'd exacted his revenge. On to bigger and better things, he thought.

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'Oh, shit!' Neal muttered rather uncharacteristically as he drove through the streets of Manhattan

'What?' asked Hope, startled

'Did you remember to set the alarm when we left the gallery?' he asked of his daughter who sat quietly in the passenger seat next to him

'No. Sorry, Dad, I completely forgot' she answered, giving herself a mental head slap. She should know better, she regularly closed up the shop with Cameron and usually carried out the routine task without giving it a second thought. She'd been upset to see her dad take off like a bat out of hell and she'd been anxious to catch up to him for fear he might take off without her.

'It's okay. It's not your fault. I guess I was in such a hurry to leave...' he said as he made a sudden left turn, heading back towards the art district 'It'll just take a minute; I'll run in and set it and we can go home'

Hope turned to look out at the bright lights of the city core and she closed her eyes for a brief moment; she was tired and her bed would be a welcome sight.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Sara made it back to her hotel room after a most exhausting day; although it had been wonderful to see Emily and spend some quality time with her, the news of June's passing had dropped a cloak of sadness on the proceedings and she'd been crying non-stop ever since she'd heard. She knew that Neal must have had to work really hard to appear so composed when he'd called – and that he had likely kept it together for her benefit. Knowing her husband as she did, he wouldn't have wanted her to be concerned about him although she could only imagine just how much he was _really_ hurting. As disappointed as she was not to have been there to say a final goodbye to June, her heart ached for Neal who was such a sensitive and loving soul. She imagined him trying to put on a brave face for the kids, for Mozzie and having no one to turn to who could comfort him and be there when he finally fell apart; that was _her _job and she wanted to be there for him so badly that it hurt.

She went through the motions of getting ready for bed although she knew sleep would be a long time in coming. She lay there, thinking of June, remembering the early days when Neal's landlady had been less than thrilled to have her in her home, let alone in Neal's life. June had associated Sara with the forces of law and order back then, especially when she'd turned up with the police that day looking for the FAA envelope she'd suspected Neal of stealing from her apartment. Of course she'd been right - but seeing how hurt and vulnerable Neal had been following Kate's passing had given her some insight into the man and his undying commitment to those he cared for. Sara had always found it ironic that in helping Neal deal with Kate's sudden disappearance from his life, they had somehow managed to grow closer and, ever so slowly, to start building the relationship that had evolved into almost twenty years of marriage.

Of course, June had eventually forgiven her for storming into her home and when it had become obvious that Sara and Neal's relationship was more than a passing thing, June had opened her home and eventually her heart to the young woman. The rest was history; the symbiotic relationship between Neal and June had survived more than two decades and June had proven herself to be an unwavering ally for the ex-con, supporting him in everything he did. Sara was thankful that Neal had been able to develop such a loving relationship with June, his surrogate mother; many of his demons were related to issues of identity and they'd stemmed from the lack of meaningful relationships in his young life. Without even having been asked to, June had stepped into the breach and played that all-important role in Neal's life and Sara was eternally grateful.

Her mind turned to her husband and she longingly touched the pillow next to hers in the cold hotel bed. She couldn't wait to get home and see him, hold him, comfort him. She grabbed the pillow, closing her eyes and squeezing it tight as she sent him all of her love across the many miles that separated them.

WCWCWC

Pete took a quick look around the main floor of the gallery, satisfied with the havoc they had managed to create. His two buddies were already waiting in the van but Pete wanted to check out the last couple of crates in the back room before leaving. Joe Morley had mentioned that they were from an up and coming artist and Pete wanted to have a look before deciding if he was going to lug them back to the waiting van or just trash them. He used his knife to pry the crate open and he was pulling out the painting when he thought her heard some noise coming from the front room.

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'You alright Dad? Would you like me to drive?' asked Hope

She'd been noticing his eyes glistening as the headlights from oncoming cars flashed in and out. Neal reached out to touch her hand.

'I'm okay sweet pea. I guess you're never really ready to watch someone you love die – no matter what their age. Grandma June had a very long and happy life and we should all be thankful for that. I'm just going to miss her, that's all' he said, his voice hoarse

'Me too. She's been there for me my whole life' said Hope wistfully

'Yes, she has' Neal agreed 'I remember the night you were born. She was at the hospital and I remember the tears in her eyes when she held you for the first time. She was so happy that we stayed in her house that first year after you were born... and she was sad to see us leave'

'I still remember when I was little, she'd set me up in a corner of the parlor while you guys chatted – and she didn't care what kind of mess I made – and as I recall, I made quite a few! And she always had the _best_ ice cream... when you weren't looking, she'd send me back to the kitchen and she'd tell Ethel to give me whatever I wanted' Hope recalled with a smile

'Is that right? I guess Grandma June was quite the con artist' he responded with a fond smile

'Oh, and remember that day Liam broke that vase' she said, laughing as she recalled her baby brother's face as he realized what he'd done

'You mean the Swarovski?' Neal said, smiling at the recollection

'Is _that _what that was?' asked Hope, realizing for the first time the monetary value of the object 'He was crying so hard and she just went over and gave him a hug to console him – like it was no big deal, something she'd picked up at Wal-Mart'

They both laughed heartily at the memory. It felt good to let go of the raw grief even if it was for just a moment.

'In time, we'll smile when we remember Grandma June but...' Neal stopped, the sadness returning

They drove the rest of the way in silence, arriving at the gallery in record time.

'I'll be right back' Neal said as he stopped the car directly in front of the Raphael – no parking issues at this hour of the night

'I'll come with you. I left my school bag in there somewhere' Hope said as she stepped out of the car

Truth be told, she could have waited until the next day to collect her bag but Hope didn't want to let her dad out of her sight, not even for a moment. She knew he was barely keeping it together and although she didn't want to hover, per se, she wanted to stay nearby and simply be a presence in his time of sorrow.

It was a nice, breezy yet warm evening and she took in a lungful of air as she stepped onto the curb. The name of the gallery glowed as the full moon shone down on the store and Neal made his way around the car, taking Hope's elbow as they both walked up to the front door, his key in hand.

WCWCWC

The sound of the key in the lock was immediately followed by voices and Pete Milville instinctively ducked behind the counter in the back room waiting for an opportunity to make a run for the door. His hand moved to grab the gun he'd tucked in his pants and he pulled it out, cocking it as he heard footsteps growing louder.

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'Oh, my God!' Neal cried out as light flooded the room, revealing a mess of unimaginable proportions. The place was quiet but Neal instinctively picked up part of a broken wooden frame from the floor, slowly advancing as he put his arm out to keep Hope safely behind him. He surveyed the space and seeing no obvious sign of the intruders, he took a few tentative steps towards the staircase that led to the second floor.

'Stay here. I'm going to check that there's no one upstairs' he said as he headed for the stairs, armed with the piece of wood

'Be careful, Daddy' she warned as she took a few more steps into the gallery

Like a moth drawn to light, Hope began to move towards the back room where she spent so many hours of her life – the place where she saw magic happen every time her students picked up a brush. She loved that room and all that it represented. It was a place where she'd had the pleasure of watching as young kids discovered the beauty they could create through experimentation and she loved being a witness to those amazing realizations.

The artwork she'd been commenting on for her class, which she'd left in an orderly fashion earlier in the day, was now strewn across the room destroyed by the hand of a very disturbed person. The students' projects lay in various states of disrepair and she immediately spotted Amanda's painting slashed right through the middle and hanging obscenely from the counter in tatters. Who would do such a senseless thing, she wondered, as she took in the sheer absurdity of the scene before her eyes.

She heard a small noise coming from behind the counter and she let out a gasp as a man suddenly stood holding a shiny object in his hand; it took a moment for her to register what she was looking at - a glistening handgun.

'DAD!' she screamed as the man stared, obviously panicked, his gun drawn and pointed straight at her

Neal was halfway up the stairs when he heard Hope's scream and he tumbled back down as fast as his legs could carry him, following the sound of her voice, the large piece of wood still firmly clasped in his hand. The horrifying sight of a firearm being pointed straight at his daughter greeted him as he turned the corner and he froze momentarily, not wanting to do anything to cause the gun to go off with dire consequences he did not even dare to imagine.

The intruder locked eyes with him as Neal continued slowly towards Hope who was standing, totally immobile, the proverbial deer in the headlights. Neal's eyes went to the man's face, as he frowned in recognition, flashing back to the events that had occurred over a year ago on the 38th floor of the Sterling Bosch offices. This was one of the guys from that night – Neal could be forgiven for forgetting his name under such strained circumstances – and he pushed aside the realization as his mind raced to find a way out of the present conundrum.

'Look, you've had your fun' he said calmly, continuing to move slowly towards Hope 'Now go and leave us alone'

Neal continued walking slowly yet decisively, anxious to get between Hope and that gun which was still aimed straight at her and held by, what he was now noticing, were very shaky hands. Neal's movements were making Pete nervous and for some reason he could not explain, he continued to stand there transfixed watching as Neal got closer to Hope – and to him.

'Stop moving!' Pete screamed, his voice shrill. Neal had just given him permission to run but for some reason Pete just stood there, staring, his eyes going from the young woman's terrified eyes to her dad who was slowly advancing, still holding that big piece of wood menacingly in his hand.

Neal finally made it to where Hope stood, anxious to get her away from the gun's trajectory and he intuitively put his arm out to push her behind him, out of harm's way.

The sudden movement spooked Pete and to everyone's surprise, the gun went off in the otherwise silent gallery – its sound deafening as he finally dropped it on the floor and ran out the back door, leaving behind another mess – this one, bloody.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Peter Burke tossed and turned in bed, his wife's rhythmic breathing keeping him company as he thought about June Ellington. What a fascinating woman she'd been – strong and independent, long before it had ever been trendy to be so. He remembered the first time he'd met June – that first morning he'd shown up at 87 Riverside Drive; she had told him ever so matter-of-factly that his new CI was upstairs and Peter had climbed up three stories to find Neal Caffrey, recently released criminal, enjoying a fresh cup of Italian roast in the company of June's beautiful granddaughter.

Peter had been furious to realize that Neal had landed firmly on both feet – seemingly unaware that this life of luxury was not the norm and certainly not what he deserved in light of the fact he was on a work release program with the FBI and recently released from Sing Sing penitentiary. He thought back to Neal's face that morning – so smug and cocky; of course, Peter had learned, over time, that it was all a facade, a self-preservation strategy Neal had worked for years to cultivate. It hindsight, it was all very amusing and in the end, Neal had been forced to learn his life lessons the hard way – through loss and pain just like everybody else.

Of course, the man he knew today was nothing like the narcissistic conman he'd been although he still had that same annoying – or was that endearing – personality. June had been a big part of Neal's metamorphosis, giving him the confidence to believe in himself – his true self – and not the mask he'd paraded around for those first few years.

June had been an enigma in so many ways. Peter was aware of her husband's shady dealings; he'd once researched the man's criminal history and he knew in no uncertain terms that much of June's wealth had come from Byron's illicit activities. From what he'd learned, Byron Ellington had been a lot like Neal Caffrey, a kind-hearted criminal who just couldn't help but use his amazing skills to outsmart and outmanoeuvre the dimwitted rich people he rubbed elbows with. But in the end, despite her less than wholesome background, June had been nothing but a positive influence in Neal's life and a loving grandmother to his two children and Peter smiled at that realization as he finally gave in to the soft sound of El's breathing and let himself fall asleep.

WCWCWC

The sound of the back door of the gallery slamming was followed by the thud of Neal's body hitting the hard wood floor as Hope tried in vain to break his fall, his body finally collapsing to the ground. In years to come, whenever Hope would reflect on the horrible events of that night, she would never be able to recall any of the details nor any of her movements - no matter how hard she tried.

She watched in horror as her dad lay there at her feet, his eyes wide open yet unfocussed, a large bright red stain beginning to form and seep through his crisp pale blue dress shirt. Some voice deep inside her was screaming that she needed to call for help – right now – and she fumbled for her phone looking down at her hands which were somehow bloody - and suddenly uncooperative. She kneeled down, leaning over her dad as her fingers somehow found the 9, then the 1, then another 1.

'911 emergency' came a man's voice 'How may I direct your call?'

'My... my... my dad's been... shot' she finally managed to say, although the words she'd uttered made no sense whatsoever

'Can you tell me where you are?' asked the man

'We're at the gallery' she answered, her mind not focussed enough to properly answer the question

'What gallery?' he asked

_**How many galleries do you think we own, you idiot?**_

'_Our_ gallery, hum, Raphael Gallery' she finally blurted out

Neal remained motionless on the ground; he'd fallen in a most uncomfortable position, not quite prone, leaning slightly to one side although his current pose seemed to be the least of his worries at the moment considering the screaming pain deep in his gut. Hope tried to settle him on his back although how one could be made to feel comfortable with a large gaping hole in one's abdomen was up for debate. He winced as fresh pain flared, his eyes momentarily closing to collect himself.

'It's okay, Dad' Hope managed to say although the situation was anything _but_ alright. She could hear noises on the line – it sounded like the guy on the other end was typing away in the distance – she wondered why the hell he'd be checking his Facebook page at a time like this.

'Okay' he finally said, returning on the line 'The Raphael on West 27th?'

'Yeah' she said, her voice fading

_**Tell me what to do about helping my dad, don't ask me about our stupid gallery!**_

'My name is Colin, what's your name?' asked the man, annoyingly calm

_**Really, you're flirting with me right now?**_

'What's your name?' he repeated and Hope snapped back to reality

'Hope... Caffrey' she said, still hypnotized by Neal's wild eyes staring back at her. His mouth was moving but no sound was coming out and she kept staring at his lips trying to decode what he was trying so desperately to communicate

_**What, Daddy, what should I do?**_

'Hope, listen to me. I need you to put the phone on hands free and place it down on the ground beside you. But don't hang up; I'm going to stay on the line with you until help arrives' said the calm voice at the other end

She looked down at the phone, her hands dark and red noticing she'd totally smeared it with copious amounts of blood and she somehow found the hands-free feature, finally placing the phone down beside her as her eyes returned to Neal whose raspy breathing was getting so loud it was hurting her ears.

'Is your dad breathing?' Colin asked

_**Of course he's breathing; otherwise he'd be dead!**_

'Yyyyes. Yes, he's breathing' Hope answered as she stared down at Neal who kept staring right back, an empty look in his eyes, his mouth slightly open in a obscene way that Hope had never seen before

_**Stop, Daddy. You're scaring me!**_

'The police and the ambulance are on their way, Hope' said Colin's disembodied voice

'Where was your dad shot?' he asked

_**I told you, stupid, in the gallery!**_

'Where on his body is the gunshot wound?' the man restated patiently when Hope didn't answer

'His stomach... there's... there's... there's so much blood... everywhere' Hope said, breathless

'Is your dad conscious?' Colin asked

_**Can't you see his eyes are wide open?**_

'Yes... he's looking at me' she answered

_**Daddy, stop it; you're freaking me out here!**_

'Can you see where the blood is coming from?' the emergency operator asked

_**Which part of the word stomach don't you understand?**_

Hope tore her eyes away from Neal's face for a moment to try to find the source of the bleeding. It was just one big mess – wasn't that the shirt her mom had given him for Christmas last year?

'It's... messy' Hope managed to say

'Try to find the source of the bleeding. Lift up his shirt if you have to' the man instructed

_**Mom's going to be so pissed that you ruined this shirt**_

'Ohhh! Ohhh!' Hope cried out suddenly as she took notice of the floor

'What is it Hope?' the man asked

'There's more blood coming from the back but... he didn't shoot him in the back' she said, her voice trembling

_**Why are you bleeding so much, Dad?**_

Neal's breathing continued loud yet shallow as he fought for every single breath of air. Hope gingerly tugged at his shirt, trying to follow instructions and Neal let out a loud moan as she accidentally jostled him. She looked down, apologizing with her eyes – but the voice on the other end of the phone was telling her to do this and in the absence of a better suggestion on her dad's part, she continued doing what she'd been instructed to do.

_**STOP BLEEDING!**_

'You need to try to slow down the bleeding Hope' Colin was saying from his spot on the floor

Neal's insistent moan gave way to an even louder groan at her hand grazed his now burning flesh and Hope pulled back for an instant, unsure if she should continue.

'I'm sorry Daddy' she muttered, unsure what to do next

Neal gave her a small nod with his head, urging her on – was he really following all this?

'Hope, do you have anything you can use to press down on the wound? A scarf, a sweater, any piece of clothing?' Colin asked

She looked around, lost for a moment, before she grabbed the scarf she'd been wearing – the pretty fuchsia one that Cam had given her for her birthday just a couple of months ago. She proceeded to place it on what appeared to be the source of the bleeding although it was very difficult to tell where all this blood was coming from. Neal winced at the sensation of the scarf against his oversensitive skin but closed his eyes tight; seemingly bracing himself for the pain he knew was imminent. Hope took a deep breath, gathering up her courage, and pressed down resolutely on the wound.

'Awwww!' Neal cried out, in obvious agony

'I'm hurting him!' she yelled, momentarily pulling back

'I know it hurts him but you have to do this' Colin said 'The ambulance is just four minutes out; you're doing great Hope'

_**FOUR MINUTES! That's a goddam eternity!**_

'I can't do it' she cried both to Neal and to the man on the phone – what was his name again?

'You... have ... to' Neal suddenly said breathlessly, the first words he'd managed to utter since he'd hit the ground

Encouraged by Neal's words, Hope took a deep breath, determined to try again – but that horrible moaning grew even louder as Neal's eyes closed in reaction to the increased pain.

'Hard...harder' Neal tried desperately to scream although it came out as barely a whisper

'But there's blood coming from the back too!' she screamed as she continued to apply pressure

The sound of Neal's breathing seemed to settle down a little as the blood flow stymied and he suddenly found the strength to lift his arm bringing it up to hers, trying in vain to help her apply pressure on the open wound.

'Do... do it' he whispered, breathless as Hope continued to stare at the gaping hole in his stomach

Her hands were shaking uncontrollably but she managed to get up on her knees in order to get better leverage and she bit down on her lip hard as she began to apply even more pressure - although why she was being instructed to inflict excruciating pain on this man she loved so much, she couldn't quite understand.

_**I don't want to hurt you, Daddy!**_

'Go..od...' he managed to say, through gritted teeth

'Daddy, I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I'm sorry' she cried as she pushed down with all her might

Neal whimpered and he suddenly went limp, his eyes closed, causing Hope to panic

'No, no' she cried

'What's going on Hope?' Colin asked – was he still there, listening to all this?

'He closed his eyes. He's gonna die, he's gonna die!' she cried, totally losing all composure

_**What kind of help are you anyway?**_

'Try to talk to him, try to keep him conscious' Colin said, his voice steady

_**DAD! DAD!**_

'I think he stopped breathing' she screamed in horror

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

_Neal stood in front of the door to the majestic home on Riverside Drive just as he'd done thousands of times before. This time felt unlike any other time he'd visited the home and he wasn't quite sure why. He hesitated for a moment then knocked softly, unsure as to whether or not he was welcome inside. The door opened, revealing a handsome man, skin the color of hot chocolate and a small pencil mustache over his upper lip; he was approximately Neal's height, a tiny bit heavier and Neal stared back at him, wondering why he looked so familiar. He was reasonably sure he'd never met him before but the man seemed to recognize Neal as he looked him up and down._

'_Neal! What are you doing here?' asked the man, frowning_

_Neal continued to stare back, unsure of the answer. Whatever force had led him back to this familiar place was way beyond his control; he shrugged in response._

_Suddenly, he heard June's voice as she came up behind him, popping her head out from behind the familiar face._

'_Darling' she said, alarmed 'You shouldn't be here'_

_Neal's eyes grew wide as he took in the sight of her – a much younger June than the one he'd just said goodbye to, her face smooth, just as it had been when he'd first met her all those years ago. He could hear voices behind them and curiosity got the better of him as he stepped into the house and looked around the parlor which was softly lit, warm shadows everywhere._

'_K... K...Kate?' he whispered, shocked, as he saw the young woman sitting on the settee. Contrary to June, whom he'd just said goodbye to hours before, __he hadn't laid eyes on Kate in over twenty years. She looked just as beautiful and innocent as ever as she sat there, staring back, uncertain how to react to his presence, so unexpected. She stood and Neal made his way over to her, taking her hand in his._

'_You're here!' he said in quiet disbelief_

'_But you shouldn't be, Neal. You don't belong here' answered Kate her eyes warm but her hand cold in his grasp_

'_She's right' came another loving voice from Neal's past and he looked up to see Ellen standing nearby, much as she'd looked when he was merely a teenager._

_Neal let go of Kate's hand and ran over to where Ellen stood, spontaneously taking her in his arms only to find her distant and unresponsive as he attempted to hold her near._

'_Neal, it's not the right time for you' Ellen said pulling away and touching his face_

'_But what is this? Why are you all here?' Neal asked puzzled yet exhilarated _

_June stepped up, holding Byron's arm, looking so graceful and... happy – that's what Neal was seeing: a joy in her eyes he'd never seen in all the years he'd known her._

'_Darling, you need to go home. Sara needs you and Liam and Hope need you. You can't stay here' she said, her voice loving and wise_

'_But...' he responded, still in shock at finding the three women he had loved and lost assembled around him_

'_No buts, Neal' Kate responded 'There'll come a time but this isn't it. You need to go back'_

_Neal looked from one face to the other not quite understanding the ambivalence he was feeling at this unexpected and most wonderful reunion. Deep in his soul, he began to realize that he could choose __to stay with them, but there would be a heavy price to pay._

_Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door, more of a banging really, and Neal recognized Hope's desperate voice on the other side. _

'_Dad! Dad! Please! Open up! I need you to come with me. Please Daddy!' she pleaded, her voice loud and shrill _

_Neal looked at the loving faces around him, taking them in one by one and smiling tenderly at each one. As compelling as it had been to walk through that door seconds before, Neal realized it was imperative that he turn back and return to where he'd come from. He resolutely turned away from the women he loved and opened the door to find Hope standing there._

_She threw herself in his arms and unlike Ellen's embrace, hers was warm and welcoming._

Neal could hear Hope's panicked voice in the distance as the pain suddenly returned with a vengeance, unbidden and unwelcome. He gasped, pulling in a ragged breath of air as his eyes flew open.

'Dad! Dad! Please!' she was saying as she continued pushing down mercilessly on the open wound

The reappearance of Neal's baby blue eyes was a welcome sight and Hope let out an audible sigh of relief.

'...'m here' Neal managed to say as he recovered from a brief coughing fit

_**Dammit, Dad don't scare me like that!**_

'He opened his eyes!' she reported to Colin out there somewhere, she wasn't quite sure where

'Dad, help is on it's way. Look at me, look at me' she repeated, trying to get her dad to focus on the sound of her shaking voice

All of a sudden, she seemed to be channeling Meredith Grey and her mission had become crystal clear; she needed to keep him conscious and talking until help arrived.

'You're going to be okay. Just hang on, Daddy' she managed to say although she wasn't sure whose voice that was she'd just heard echoing in the empty gallery – most certainly not hers.

Neal nodded weakly and forced himself to smile for her sake - although the result was more grimace than anything else. He clenched his jaw so as not to scream at the searing pain in his side as she continued to push down on the gaping hole which had opened up in his battered body.

' ... doing great... sweet pea' he managed to eke out as he momentarily caught his breath

_**Yeah, dad, whatever. You're lying here bleeding out and you're the one who's encouraging me?**_

'You're... love you' he said, his words slurred, his eyes unfocussed

_**Why would he be saying that at a time like this? **_

'Dad, stop it. Don't say that' she cried

'But... I need... need you to know...' he whispered, his eyes rolling back in his head as he began to slip out of consciousness once more

'Shut up, Dad! You're not going anywhere. You can tell me how much you love me later – after you chew me out for forgetting to set the alarm' she said, crying loudly

He rallied again, fighting back the pain and his eyes opened wider as he somehow found the strength to speak once again

'Tell Mom...' he began before Hope lost it

_**SHUT UP!**_

'I told you, Dad, stop it! Don't talk like that. Don't! Don't!' she screamed as she continued pushing down on the open wound, using both hands and all of her upper body strength in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding.

The sound of his slow, labored breathing was his only response.

Hope's hands were shaking but she didn't relent, continuing to push down ruthlessly, stemming the flow of blood and causing her dad unspeakable pain as she went. What was that phrase that kept playing in her head: short term pain for long term gain...

'Hope, the ambulance is arriving in front of the gallery' Colin suddenly said from his position on the floor. 'You're going to hear them come in any second'

'You hear that, Dad? Help is here. You'll see, they'll do a much better job than I'm doing...' she said, half laughing, half crying

Neal continued to stare back, wanting to say something but unable to muster up the strength as he just stared into Hope's beautiful blue eyes, tears streaming down her face.

Right on cue, Hope heard noises coming from the main room and she yelled for them to follow her voice.

'Over here, hurry, hurry!' she called out to them as a pair of paramedics ran in, wasting no time in taking their positions on either side of Neal

'We've got him' said one of the two men in a calm voice as he tried to pry Hope away from her dad's side

As much as she hadn't wanted to touch the wound in the first place, now she was reluctant to let it go; she continued to push down with all her might, afraid of letting go, afraid of what might happen if she did.

Suddenly there was a third person standing over her, a police officer, who was pulling her away more insistently as she screamed for him to let her go. She wasn't finished – she needed to help her dad and all she knew was that someone was trying to keep her from finishing the important job she'd started.

Colin's voice perked up again on the other end of the phone line 'Hope, I'm going to hang up now. You did a great job! Good luck with your dad'

And as suddenly as he'd been there, he was gone and Hope immediately missed his soothing voice as the police officer spoke softly in her ear.

'You've got to let him go' he was saying as another officer – a woman – stood by, watching as Hope continued to fight her partner off

'NO! NO! That's my dad!' she kept screaming as he finally managed to pry her hands off Neal's body, with Hope fighting him all the way.

There was a lot of talking in walkie-talkies and words she didn't understand and she watched helplessly as the EMTs lifted her dad off the ground and strapped him onto a gurney, working expertly on his inert body. Hope's eyes were riveted on his face, his eyes closing once again as he finally gave in to the excruciating pain.

The second officer, the woman, leaned in, holding Hope's phone in her latex covered hands.

'Honey, who can we call to come and be with you?' she asked as she began scrolling down Hope's contact list

Hope just stared ahead, hypnotized, as the paramedics began to push the gurney carrying her dad towards the front door. She began to take off after them and suddenly, there was an arm holding her back. She fought off the police officer and she felt an arm encircle her waist, pulling her back as she began to kick and scream, the disembodied arm holding onto her even tighter, her legs dangling as he lifted her off the ground.

'They're going to take good care of your dad. Now, let us take care of you' said the kind voice

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Hope stood in front of the sink in the tiny washroom of the gallery, eyes riveted on someone who looked vaguely like herself in the mirror. She watched impassive as the female officer gently washed Hope's hands in the sink, the water dark red as it went down the drain, a part of Neal disappearing down a hole, never to return.

Hope flashed back to when she was a little girl, her mom washing her hands - her comforting presence hovering over her as she scrubbed her grimy little hands after hours of playing in the backyard sandbox.

But this wasn't her mom, it was a stranger and this was not the gritty sand of the familiar sandbox but her father's blood which was being unceremoniously rinsed down the drain. It seemed to take forever and Hope stared as drop after drop of dark red water ran off her shaking hands into the porcelain sink, gradually turning pink before finally rinsing clear.

By the time Hope returned from the washroom, with the police officer by her side, Cameron Armstrong had appeared out of nowhere and she had no recollection as to how that had happened. He was talking to the other police officer and as soon as he spotted Hope, he ran to her, putting his arms out to comfort her. Hope stepped into his embrace, feeling absolutely nothing as she continued to shake uncontrollably, her body limp in his arms as the full effect of the shock set in. Now that she didn't have the all-important job of keeping her dad alive, she was totally disconnected from the events that had taken place mere moments before.

'I want to see my dad' she said, weakly as she pulled out of Cam's grasp

The officer looked at Cameron. 'They've taken him to Bellevue. Are you okay to get there on your own?' he asked

Cam nodded as he took Hope by the shoulders and led her out the front door of the gallery towards the waiting car.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Sara lay in the comfortable bed in suite 1207 of the Langham Hotel in Chicago and dreamt of Neal Caffrey. He was walking towards her on a busy street, Peter by his side, studying her as she came towards him, his look defiant and cocky, not at all pleased to be confronted by someone who had contributed to making his life hell for over four years. She could see the look of defiance in his eyes as he approached her and all Sara could think about was how gorgeous he looked as his bright blue eyes glared intensely at her – well, through her. She had not laid eyes on him since that fateful day she had watched with interest as the judge proclaimed his sentence: four years for bond forgery. What a joke! The son of a bitch had gotten away with so much more and she hated him (really?) for all he represented – the smug, defiant look on his face as he got closer. Her eyes returned to his sculpted features, boastful and arrogant and yet, she couldn't stop staring – mesmerized by his presence. Luckily, he couldn't detect how her heartbeat had begun to accelerate at the sight of him or how the palms of her hands had begun to sweat as she'd seen him come around the corner. No, she thought, I will not give in to your charms, Neal Caffrey, I will not let you con me, I will not let you worm your way into my quiet, orderly existence, I will not let you sweet talk me, I will not let you kiss me senseless, I will not let you become the most important person in my universe.

She woke with a start. Thank God she had let him do just that, she thought with a heavy sigh.

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The phone rang in the quiet Burke house. The owners _had been_ sound asleep but not anymore. Elizabeth gave her husband an elbow to the ribs although it was totally unnecessary; he was already reaching towards the offending noise even though his eyes were still firmly closed. Years of being called in at all hours of the day or night had made Peter an expert at finding the phone in the dark without the use of his sight.

'Hello?' he mumbled

'Mr. Burke?' he heard the young voice say

'Who is this?' Peter responded, slightly annoyed

'It's Cameron, Cameron Armstrong' said the voice at the other end

Peter's curiosity piqued and he propped himself up on an elbow, slowly coming to. Why would Cam be calling him at this ungodly hour of the night? His eyes widened, taking in the time on the clock by the bedside: 11:47.

'Cam? What's the matter?' he said

'There was an incident at the gallery tonight' he began, easing into the subject. He wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to tell the man that his best friend was being rushed to hospital with a gunshot wound.

'What kind of incident?' asked Peter. He was sitting up now and El had begun to stir as she listened to Peter's side of the conversation

'A break-in and a ... shooting' he said hesitantly

'A shooting? Was anyone hurt?' asked Peter as he reached over to turn on the lamp by the bedside

'Yes' Cam answered, still having trouble getting to the point of his call

'Did you call Neal?' Peter asked as he began to move around the room looking for clothes he could throw on. Surely, he'd have to go in and see what was what if there'd been a break-in at the gallery; the police would want to talk to one of the owners.

'That's just it' he finally blurted out 'Mr. Caffrey's the one who was shot'

'What? What was he doing at the gallery?' Peter asked, unnecessarily since it didn't really matter why Neal had been there; he'd just been told his best friend had been shot.

'Where are you now?' Peter asked

Elizabeth knew her husband well enough to know that something was really wrong and she stood and began moving around the room, handing him articles of clothing while she waited patiently for him to fill her in on what was going on.

'I'm with Hope and we're following the ambulance to Bellevue. Can you meet us there?' Cameron asked

'I'll be right there' Peter exclaimed as he pulled up his pants, phone still against his ear

'What?' El asked, seeing the frantic look in Peter's eyes

'Neal's been shot' he said, realizing how unreal the words sounded

'Shot?' she repeated as she herself began to forage for something to change into 'I'm coming with you'

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Hope sat in the car next to Cameron on the short drive to the nearby hospital. She looked down as a streetlight flooded the car with warm light, noticing that, despite having washed her hands thoroughly, her clothes were still covered in blood, her dad's blood. She'd just heard Cameron talking on the phone but her mind was having trouble focussing and she wasn't sure who exactly he'd been talking to. Something about her dad having been shot and getting to the hospital as soon as possible. Less than an hour ago, she'd been sitting here with her dad by her side – what had happened exactly? She saw Cam's hand on hers but she couldn't feel it and she wondered if that was normal - knowing somewhere deep in her mind that it wasn't and she willed herself to move her hand to see if she could feel his but there was still no sensation, her body seemingly disconnected from her brain.

'Your uncle Peter and aunt Elizabeth are going to meet us at the hospital' Cameron said, squeezing the unfeeling hand

Hope nodded vacantly. She thought of her mom. Where _was _her mom anyway? It took her a few seconds to remember that she was away on business – where exactly, she couldn't remember at the moment.

'Mom?' she simply said, under her breath

'We'll call her from the hospital' Cameron said, hoping to delegate that nasty job to Elizabeth or Peter Burke

He'd heard the worry in Peter's voice just now and he couldn't imagine having to tell Sara Ellis that her husband had been shot when she was miles away.

Cam saw the hospital in the distance and accelerated slightly, anxious to get there and find out what state Neal was in. He glanced over at Hope, who just sat there, still seemingly disconnected from the events of the last hour.

'Hope' he said, squeezing her hand once more 'We're here'

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Ryan Mercer checked out his weary eyes in the mirror of the men's room. He threw some water on his face and adjusted his stethoscope, preparing to return to the ER. He'd been on duty since 7:00 in the morning; he'd been scheduled to leave earlier in the evening but a young couple involved in a car accident had come in on the heels of an attempted suicide and just like that, his plans had fallen by the wayside. His wife had been understanding, as usual, and he'd heard her on the phone as she unceremoniously ripped up the tickets they'd had for the symphony that night. 'That's okay, baby. Go save some lives' she'd said.

He made his way back to the ER to check on the new arrival. The triage team had deemed it a 'priority 1', the highest priority, and his best third year resident had been directing things around the newly arrived GSW.

'What have we got?' he asked as he pulled back the curtain of the small cubicle

Amazingly, there were four people crammed into that small space, each doing exactly what he or she was supposed to be doing: trying to save the life of a man who continued to vacillate between life and death.

'54 year old man, GSW to the lower left abdomen, extreme blood loss, entrance wound is clean, the exit wound is messy, we're trying to stabilize him. We've given him 8 units but he's going to need more' said the resident as everyone continued working around him, like a well-oiled machine.

'How long before he's ready to go to the OR?' asked the doctor as he listened carefully to his resident's take on the situation

'I want to give him at least three more units. He's lost a lot of blood. But somebody did a decent job of slowing down the blood loss before he got here' said the young man

'Who's on the OR roster tonight?' he asked. Although all surgeons at Bellevue were competent doctors, Mercer definitely had his favorites.

'Miller and Johnston' answered the head nurse as she continued to monitor the blood transfusion they were giving their patient

'Lucky man' said Dr. Mercer, glancing down at Neal 'Carry on, I'll be back in a few minutes. Family?' he asked

'Daughter. In the waiting room' said one of the nurses

Now, the fun part... talking to frantic family members and walking that fine line between being hopeful and being realistic. It wasn't his first time and it sure as hell wouldn't be his last and he turned towards the waiting area to brief the man's family.

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Elizabeth and Peter arrived mere minutes after Cameron and Hope had and as soon as Hope saw her aunt coming towards her, it was as if she'd been given permission to finally fall apart. She ran towards El, right into her open arms and sobbed as her godmother held her tenderly, running her hands through her hair.

Peter didn't waste any time and walked over to where Cameron stood.

'What do we know?' he asked as he prepared to go to the triage desk. It was times like this that Peter wished he still had his trusty badge; these days, all he had was a business card from the Raphael Gallery – not exactly the clout he used to have in situations like this.

'Nothing yet. They told us to wait here' said Cameron as Peter walked right past him to the nurses' desk

'Caffrey' he said as he addressed the nurse 'What can you tell us?'

'They're still assessing him, sir. The doctor should be out any minute to talk to the family' said the patient woman who spent her life trying to reassure family members of trauma victims, not always with reason – too many new arrivals died in the first few critical minutes and looking in the man's eyes, she hoped it wasn't the case with this 'Caffrey' guy.

Peter turned away reluctantly; he knew they had to let people do their job but not knowing whether Neal was dead or alive was more than his ticker could handle and he turned to see El ushering Hope over to a nearby chair as Cameron looked on, helplessly. Peter made his way over to where El and Hope sat and put his arm around his goddaughter.

'They'll be out in a minute to fill us in' he said as Cameron continued to hover nearby

He didn't know how to deal with Hope in her present state; where was that girl who was so full of life and who laughed so heartily and easily at all his stupid jokes? She was sorely MIA and he wished he knew what to say or what to do to make this all better. He'd been jolted out of a deep sleep by a police officer on the other end of the line, asking him to come to the gallery and he'd gotten there minutes after the ambulance carrying Neal had pulled away, shocked at what he'd found when he walked in. The gallery had been savagely vandalized and he'd watched in horror as Hope was escorted back into the room, her face as white as a sheet, her eyes unresponsive as shock began to set in. He was thankful to have Peter and Elizabeth Burke there; El's presence, especially, seemed to be a calming influence on Hope and although she was upset and crying, anything was better than seeing her with that blank look on her face.

'Have you called your mom yet?' El was asking as she continued to rub Hope's back

Hope just shook her head. 'I don't know how to tell her' she said, sobbing

'Do you want me to do it?' asked Peter

'Do you mind?' Hope asked, feeling like a coward. She would have a hard time not falling apart on the phone and she could only imagine the terror her mom would be feeling when she heard the news. Her uncle Peter was much better at this sort of thing.

All four of them looked up as they heard someone say:

'Who's here for Neal Caffrey?'

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

'Here!' Peter called out without the slightest hesitation

Dr. Mercer made his way over to where the four of them stood and instructed them to sit down.

'I'm Dr. Mercer, I'm an emergency room physician' he said, his voice calm and authoritative.

'Mr. Caffrey has suffered a gunshot wound to the lower left abdomen. He's lost a lot of blood and we're trying to stabilize him before we send him up to surgery' he explained

'He's ... alive?' asked Hope

'He is' answered the doctor 'But his situation _is _critical. We don't want to operate on him until we can get his blood up to normal levels. The good news is that the bullet has gone straight through so it's not lodged in his abdomen, however it also means that there is both an entrance and an exit wound which has made the blood loss so much worse'

He took in the state of the foursome and it didn't take a rocket scientist (only an ER doctor) to deduce that Hope had been the one to provide the critical first aid Neal had received in the moments following the shooting. She was still covered in blood and he recognized the stunned look on her face for what it was: the look of someone who had been called on to react in an emergency situation, totally unprepared.

'Is that your dad in there?' he asked, addressing Hope

She nodded but didn't answer.

'Well, I think you may have saved your dad's life tonight' he continued 'You did a great job trying to keep him from bleeding out. If you hadn't been there, I would be standing here telling you he didn't make it'

Hope listened and watched his mouth move as he talked; she was still only getting a fraction of what people were saying – her brain still struggling to understand what was happening around her. El gave her an encouraging squeeze, her arm still wrapped around her goddaughter's shoulder.

'As soon as he's stable, we'll move him to surgery and we'll be able to assess the damage' he concluded as he stood, indicating that was all he could reasonably say at this point in time

'Is this young woman the next of kin?' he asked looking at Peter and El

'For now' Peter explained 'We're just about to call his wife; she's out of town on business'

Dr. Mercer nodded in understanding. 'We need someone to sign the release form for the surgery' he added as he handed Peter a clipboard

'I'll take care of it' he answered as they watched the ER doctor walk away

Peter was no more thrilled at the prospect of placing the dreaded call to Sara than Hope or Cam had been but he knew he couldn't put it off any longer. She needed to know – however difficult it would be for her to have to deal with the news when she was so far away. He excused himself, moving to a quiet corner of the room and took in a deep breath before dialing.

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Sara lay in bed, wide awake. She was still thinking of June and how devastated Neal must be feeling; she imagined him lying in their bed, miles away unable to get to sleep. It was almost midnight and Sara wondered if she should call him, deciding instead to send a text just in case he'd somehow managed to fall asleep. If he _was_ awake, he'd respond right away.

'Thinking of you xx' she wrote and just as she'd pressed 'send', the phone rang in her hand and she frowned as she saw Peter's name come up on the screen.

'Peter?' she answered, not bothering with niceties

'Sara' he said, taking in one more gulp of air 'There's been an accident - Neal's been hurt'

'Hurt? What do you mean, hurt?' she asked as she sat up and turned on the bedside lamp all in one swift movement; there had to be some mistake. 'I just talked to him a couple of hours ago'

'There was a break-in at the gallery and Neal was shot' he explained. There really was no way to sugar-coat this.

'What?' Sara said, trying to compute what she was hearing

'We're at the hospital right now, with Hope' he said 'They're going to take him to surgery as soon as they get him stabilized'

Sara was already moving around the room, throwing things in her suitcase haphazardly as she listened.

'Hum... how bad?' she asked although she was dreading the answer

'I won't lie to you Sara. It's bad but the doctor just came to talk to us and he says that they're hoping he'll be stable enough for them to operate within the next little while' he explained

'I'm on my way. What hospital are you at?' she asked in full action mode now

'Bellevue - but El or I will be at the airport to pick you up when you get here. Can you call when you know what time you'll be in?' he asked.

Peter didn't want Sara making her way to the hospital alone; the last thing she needed was to arrive at the airport and have to face all this on her own.

'Yeah. Yeah' she said absentmindedly.

She was two hours from home and God only knew how soon she could get a flight out. She panicked at the realization that she was so very far away from the man she loved at a time when he needed her the most. Suddenly, a horrible thought crossed her mind.

'Peter, you _are_ telling me the truth, right? This isn't like in the movies where they wait for the wife to get there in person so they don't have to tell her on the phone that her husband is dead' she asked

'He's alive, Sara but he _is_ in critical condition' Peter admitted – and it hurt to say the words out loud

'Please, promise me you'll call and keep me posted no matter what' she said, her voice shaky yet strong

She was now totally in action mode; there was no time for emotions. Even in her present state of shock, she knew that if she fell apart, she would never be able to put herself back together and get herself home. She suddenly remembered that Lydia was sleeping in the next room and with trembling hands, she wrote a short note: 'Emergency back home, had to leave' and she slipped it under her friend's door as she ran down to the hotel lobby to hail a cab.

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Peter returned to where his wife was sitting and nodded to her, letting her know he had spoken to Sara.

'I told Sara one of us would be at the airport when she got in' he said as he took a spot next to them

El nodded in response. Her best friend must be going through hell – and there was absolutely nothing any of them could do for her until she landed. Suddenly, Hope piped up, her mind finally starting to cooperate.

'What about Uncle Mozzie and Liam? We need to call them' she said

'I'll do it' said Peter as he grabbed his phone and began to call the Caffrey residence.

Within an hour, the foursome had grown as Mozzie and Liam took up residence alongside the rest of the group as everyone continued to wait for news.

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Sara stood at the counter in the quiet airport, her voice trembling as she spoke.

'I don't think you understand what I'm saying' she was yelling, her voice shrill 'My husband has been shot and I have to get back to New York, RIGHT NOW'

She hadn't realized that her voice was getting louder and the young attendant behind the counter was getting flustered at Sara's tone of voice and insistence.

'Ma'am, I told you, we don't have anything available until 4:00 a.m.' she was saying

'That's ridiculous! You have a flight leaving in 15 minutes' Sara screamed, pointing to the departures screen above her head

'Yes, but it's fully booked –' the attendant said before being rudely cut off

'I don't care – surely, you can bump someone off that flight, this is an emergency' Sara screamed, finally losing it after having kept her cool for a very long time (at least by Sara Ellis' standards).

'Sara!' she heard as she turned to find Lydia standing there, suitcase in hand

'What are you...?' Sara began as she took in the sight of her friend

'Come here, sit. I'll take care of it' Lydia said as she took a firm hold of Sara's arm and guided her over to a nearby seat, physically pushing her down against her will.

She returned to the young woman at the counter and Sara watched as Lydia took charge. Within a few seconds, an older gentleman appeared as Lydia continued to gesticulate, presumably explaining the situation. Within moments, she'd returned and she took Sara's arm once again, this time to pull her back up on her feet.

'We're on the flight. Now come on, we're going to have to run to make it' she said as she picked up Sara's bag and began to lead the way.

Sara followed, shell-shocked.

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It was now past 1:00 on Thursday morning and the assembled group continued its vigil in the waiting room of Bellevue Hospital. Hope sat with Cam as she slowly returned to herself - although the details of what had happened earlier in the evening were still blurry. She remembered walking into the gallery and seeing the mess but after that, all she could recall were a few snippets of her dad lying there with blood pooling around him – an image she would gladly erase if she could. El and Peter sat, holding hands, Peter's face sombre as he feared the worse and continued to hope for the best. Mozzie paced nearby as Liam sat next to his sister, his arm around her as they all waited.

It had been a hell of a day; June's passing earlier in the day, which had been on everyone's mind, had momentarily faded into the background as they were forced to focus on this new crisis.

Peter thought of Neal, coping with June's death and having to face this overwhelming challenge in the hours that followed – it was the cruellest of fates and he continued to pray that his best friend would find the strength to overcome this hardship. Cameron had taken Peter aside and confided what he'd seen at the gallery; someone with a very warped mind had seen fit to try to destroy Neal and Sara's dream but Peter knew with certainty that when (not if) Neal pulled through, they would find a way to pull together and rebuild the gallery even better than before.

Lydia Jordan had called and informed the Burkes that they'd managed to get a flight out but that they'd be landing in Newark and not JFK; the flight was scheduled to arrive at 3:58 NY time. Peter offered to go pick up Sara but El insisted on going and Liam volunteered to tag along; he was having trouble with all this waiting and he needed to move. Elizabeth was glad for the company.

At 1:16, according to Peter's watch, one of the ER nurses came in and informed them that they were finally transferring Neal to the operating theatre. He was stable enough, the doctors felt, to withstand exploratory surgery and she warned that it would be several hours before they would learn anything more about Neal's situation.

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The plane was quiet with most of the passengers taking advantage of the short flight to have a nap. Sara stared out at the absolute darkness outside; it was a moonless night and the sun wouldn't be rising for another couple of hours. She looked down at her hand which was firmly clasped in Lydia's and the movement caused her friend to look over, seeing tears coming down Sara's face.

'Sara, you have to believe that he'll be okay' she said quietly

'I know... I just need to see him, to be with him' Sara replied just as softly

'Did I ever tell you that my brother was shot when he was a teenager?' said Lydia

This story better damn well have a happy ending thought Sara as she peered into her friend's eyes.

'He was downtown with some friends at a bar and there was a drive-by shooting; he was the only one hit' Lydia continued 'Right in his gut... he lost a lot of blood and they managed to get him to the hospital in time. It took a few months but he came through it and now he bores anyone who will listen with the story and he shows off his damn scar every chance he gets. I swear the story just gets more and more harrowing every time he tells it' she laughed softly

The story had the desired effect and Sara relaxed, smiling through her tears.

'You'll see, Neal will do the same – he'll pull through and bore us all to tears with the story for the rest of his long life' Lydia said

Sara nodded then turned away, staring out into the darkness once again.

WCWCWC

By 3:15, Elizabeth and Liam were on the road to New Jersey, with Liam manning the phone in case anything happened while they were away from the hospital. They arrived at the airport in just over 20 minutes – at this hour of the night, traffic was light – and they waited patiently in the arrival lounge for Sara to make her appearance, which she did, right on schedule.

'Is there any news?' she asked as she ran towards them with Lydia following close behind

'He went into surgery a little over two hours ago' answered El as she welcomed her friend with a hug

Sara turned to look at Liam standing there looking so grown up.

'It's going to be okay, Mom' he said as he hugged her warmly

Sara closed her eyes tight as she held on to her son, oddly reassured by his presence.

'Come on' he said as he put his arm around her and guided her towards the car.

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Neal Caffrey hovered over Operating Room # 6 of Bellevue Hospital, taking in the impressive spectacle below. He'd never realized just how many people were involved in carrying out a surgical procedure. There was the obvious head dude – although in this case it was a 'dudette'; everyone referred to her as Dr. Miller and she was a relatively young woman by Neal's standards. Of course, that was the thing about being in your 50s, everybody suddenly seemed too young to be doing the job they were doing... She might have been young but she was a definite go-getter, not afraid to bark orders - and everybody reacted to her instructions without so much as a moment of hesitation.

Then, there were a couple of young guys that people kept referring to as 'Dr. This' and 'Dr. That', most likely surgical residents, Neal thought. Add to that, Dr. Peel (as one of the nurses had just referred to him) – he stood at the head of the operating table with another resident, monitoring Neal's breathing, obviously the anaesthesiologist. Finally, Neal noticed the three nurses who moved around the room, doing various tasks, carrying out orders, the bottom of the food chain in this setting – although like everybody else, Neal knew that nurses were the real heroes in hospitals, the ones who did all the heavy lifting without much of the recognition.

He could relate to that - he recalled his days at the FBI, doing everybody's bidding for NO PAY. He suddenly flashed back to the Halbridge case, the first one he'd worked on with Sara; she'd had the luxury of sitting back, watching him do all the work and in the end, she'd walked away with her hefty commission. He'd been so pissed off about that, back when all he could see was the hard as nails side of Sara Ellis... Well, the years had passed and everybody knew how that had played out... His musings were interrupted by Dr. Miller who spoke again.

'This guy's damn lucky that exit wound wasn't an eighth of an inch closer to his spinal cord. Otherwise, we'd be out there telling his family he'd be spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair'

'Yeah, a definite close call' echoed one of the residents – Neal thought he looked like the brown-noser of the two

'That spleen is definitely going to have to come out' Dr. Miller said as she leaned in to take a closer look at Neal's insides.

Damn it! thought Neal. He'd learned all about the spleen and its important function the last time he'd had abdominal surgery – after Craig Williamson had decided to slice into him like a hot knife through butter. He'd lost part of his spleen that time and he waited with anticipation for the three doctors who were presently peering into his belly to make that discovery for themselves.

'Hey, this guy doesn't have a whole spleen!' exclaimed the brown-noser

BINGO! thought Neal

'I'm sure there's an interesting story behind that' said Dr. Miller 'But, we'll have to wait until the patient comes to in order to find out'

'It's cold in here' the youngest of the nurses whispered to one of her cohorts

Wow, Neal's hearing was really sharp up here as he floated above everyone – nobody else seemed to have heard that.

'Yeah' the other nurse whispered back 'Get used to it – they always turn down the temperature when there's been significant blood loss in a patient'

'He's cute!' the first one replied, glancing down at Neal's face

'You better get your head in the game' admonished the more senior nurse as she took a moment to check him out for herself '... you're right though, he is kinda cute... for a guy his age'

_Seriously!_ Neal hated getting older; he was still as vain as ever and he enjoyed the way heads turned when he walked into a room. Of course right now, he was lying, inert, with a breathing tube down his throat and his hair... well, certainly not his best look.

Suddenly, June was back at his side.

'Where did you go?' Neal asked

'Just exploring. Come, I want to show you something' she said as she took his hand

The next thing he knew, Neal was floating over another room in the hospital – looked like the surgical waiting room – and he spotted his loved ones moving around below, patiently waiting for news about his condition.

'Awww. I hate seeing them like this' Neal moaned as he looked around at the worried faces

Peter looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders; he sat with his face in his hands, elbows on his knees. Mozzie sat, his arm draped around the back of the chair, his leg bouncing up and down as it always did when things weren't going fast enough for his liking. Hope sat with Cameron by her side and suddenly he saw her stand and start to pace. That's when he noticed her clothes were bloody and he suddenly flashed back to the gallery, remembering how she'd kneeled over him, talking to him, comforting him and trying to keep him from bleeding out. She was getting upset (Neal knew her all too well) and she began to pace even faster finally stopping and addressing her uncle Peter.

'This is taking way too long!' she said, her voice shaking

Neal watched as Peter stood to put a comforting arm around his goddaughter.

'Honey, it's going to take a while yet. Why don't you and Cam go get something to drink in the cafeteria?' he suggested before Hope rudely interrupted him

'NO!' Hope yelled as she pulled out of Peter's grasp

Peter stepped away, surprised at her abrupt gesture and Hope resumed her pacing.

'This is all my fault' she finally said as she stopped once again to address the group 'He stepped in front of that bullet because of me, so _I_ wouldn't get hurt'

'You can't blame yourself, Hope' Peter said 'He only did what any loving dad would do – you're not the one who pointed a gun at him'

Neal looked over at June – poor kid, this wasn't her fault but true to form, Hope was carrying the brunt of the guilt. Sara wasn't there yet and Neal realized she was probably still on her way back from Chicago. She'd be going nuts – he knew _he _would be if the tables were turned and she was the one lying in an operating room, fighting for her life.

'Don't worry' June said, reading his mind 'When you come to and they see for themselves that you're going to be alright, everything will fall into place'

There was a bit of a commotion and the door to the small waiting room opened; Sara and Liam appeared with El close behind.

'Mom!' Hope said as she ran to greet her mother

Sara looked like hell, her clothing askew, her hair uncharacteristically disheveled and her face... well she suddenly looked old beyond her years, every single line in her beautiful face accentuated, deep crevices forming the likes of which Neal had never seen before. The face of worry and pain.

Hope's clothing, caked in dry blood, was all Sara could see as she took in the state of her daughter. She'd been briefed on the way over about Hope having been with her dad at the time of the shooting but no one seemed to know the details of what had transpired. Hope hadn't been able to recall much but by the look of things, she'd been instrumental in keeping her dad alive until help had arrived.

'Honey, are _you_ alright?' Sara asked as she pulled her into her arms

Hope didn't know the answer to that question so she just let her mom hold her, letting herself melt into her touch. What a relief it was to finally have her here.

'Mom, I'm so scared. What if Dad...' she didn't dare finish the sentence although Sara was quick to interrupt

'Stop it. We can't think like that' Sara said, holding her tight

Neal could see tears forming in her eyes as she tried desperately to hold it together for the kids' sake.

'Daddy's strong, he's going to pull through' she added

Suddenly, Liam was on his feet and he stood putting his arm around both his mom and his sister. Neal still thought of Liam as his little boy, but in this moment, he was being a young man – strong and brave, standing with the ones he loved, comforting them and giving them strength.

Neal took in the scene below, hating to see his loved ones so upset.

'They love you so much' June was saying at his side

'I'm a very lucky man' he said as he continued to watch, mesmerized

'They're lucky too, darling. Lucky to have _you_ in their lives' she added

June could see Neal looking down at Sara, wishing he could reach out to her and comfort her. She flashed back to the first time she'd met the woman who would become Neal's wife.

'You know, the first time Sara walked into my house with the police – I was so angry. I hated her for what she was doing to you. And then, you started having her over to the house more often and I would cringe every time I saw her come to the door'

Neal smiled as he recalled the long, tortuous road he and Sara had taken, the road that had eventually led to where they were today.

'And when you brought Sara to my birthday party that time, I was still having doubts. I thought she was aloof and distant – not at all the right woman for you. But Peter convinced me to give her a chance and over time, I could see her start to soften, letting you into her world just like you were letting her into yours. You began to change, not because she was asking anything of you, just because you wanted to be a better man for her.' June stopped and drew a breath. 'She's a keeper Neal, but I guess you already figured that out quite a while ago'

Neal looked fondly at June – he hadn't expected to see her again after he'd said his final goodbyes and he wasn't sure quite how all this was happening but he didn't care; he just wanted to enjoy these precious few minutes with her. He knew he'd be returning to his body soon but for now, he was free of pain and he was happy to have June by his side, sharing a few moments together before she left for good.

He blinked and he was suddenly back in the OR, the regular rhythm of his heartbeat echoing in the quiet room. The two residents were hunched over his body working diligently and suddenly, he watched with dismay as something was removed from deep inside his gut and placed into a steel utility bowl to be taken away by one of the nurses. The sight of a part of his body being removed was more than a little disconcerting; luckily, he couldn't feel a thing.

Dr. Miller was still giving orders, directing one of the young men to suction more blood from the open cavity.

'This is weird!' Neal exclaimed - an understatement if ever there was one

'It is, isn't it' agreed June 'I could hear all of you around my bed earlier. I heard everything that was being said but I couldn't move – it was so frustrating. I wanted to reassure you all that I was at peace'

Neal looked over at June, her face glowing.

'I'm glad' he said with a smile

'There's an awful lot of swelling around that exit wound' one of the residents (not the brown-noser, the other one) was saying

'That's going to affect his mobility until the swelling goes down' said Dr. Miller

'This guy must have been born under a lucky star' said one of the nurses 'Looks like he's going to pull through with minimum damage'

'Well, he's still got a long road ahead – and he's going to need to watch out for infections without that spleen of his' agreed Dr. Miller as she gave the order to start closing him up

'Darling, I've got to go now' said June softly '... and so do you. Be happy!'

Neal smiled lovingly at June and nodded.

And those were the very last words June Ellington ever spoke to Neal Caffrey.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Sara sat by Neal's bedside watching him sleep; somehow, after being away from him for almost a week, this was enough - for now. He had come through the surgery and they were all waiting for news from the surgeon as to his condition. Sara had been given the green light to sit with him in the intensive care unit; his situation was still critical and they didn't want to move him until he'd come to and his condition was upgraded to 'stable'.

She ran a loving hand through Neal's hair, watching him breathe, in and out, in and out, thankful he was alive and hopeful that he would fully recover from this horrible experience. His face was peaceful despite the breathing tube that hung from his open mouth. She could see a huge bandage wrapped snugly around his abdomen, the rest of his torso naked under the crisp white sheet.

Just a few hours before, they had been grieving June's passing; to have such a traumatic event occur on the heels of June's death seemed so random and improbable. Now, all Sara wanted was to see Neal's beautiful blue eyes peeking out and for him to smile that Caffrey smile, letting her know everything would be alright. But she'd have to wait for that; for now, it was enough to be by his side and to see for herself that he was alive; with life came hope.

'Mrs. Caffrey' the nurse said quietly 'The doctor is coming down to speak to the family'

Sara placed a soft kiss on Neal's forehead 'I'll be right back' she whispered, adding wryly 'don't go anywhere'

The rest of the group was still assembled in the waiting room as the sun came up. It was past 7:00 a.m. and everyone looked rough from having spent the night on plastic chairs drinking insipid coffee. They all looked up as Sara walked in, expecting to see the doctor.

'How is he?' asked Hope as she rushed to her mother's side

'He's resting' was all Sara could think to say

They all turned as they heard the door open once again and their eyes came to rest on a small woman, dark hair down to her shoulders, dark eyes peering out from under her bangs. She looked like a first year university student – but when she spoke, her voice was assured and confident.

'Mrs. Caffrey?' she said to the group, waiting for Sara to step forward

'I'm Dr. Miller. We've just finished operating on your husband. Considering the state he was in when he was brought in, things went reasonably well. As you know, your husband suffered a gunshot wound to his lower left quadrant. The bullet went straight through to his back and it punctured his spleen, leaving quite a mess behind. He'd lost an awful lot of blood when he arrived so we had to stabilize him first. Then, we went in to assess the damage and examine both the entrance and exit wounds. The entrance wound was quite clean – that's usually the case as the bullet enters the body cleanly. He was very lucky; the damage was limited to his spleen but hitting an organ can cause excessive bleeding as it did in Mr. Caffrey's case'

Everyone listened, engrossed, as she spoke - almost as if she were giving them a biology lesson.

'We removed his spleen and upon close examination we noticed that your husband has what's called an accessory spleen. About 30% of people have one and it is smaller than the main spleen although it may grow and take over the function of the main spleen with time. We'll have to monitor his ability to resist infections and he may need additional vaccinations down the road'

She took a deep breath before continuing. 'The exit wound left more of a mess and Mr. Caffrey's spinal cord was slightly compromised'

Sara let out a gasp as the doctor continued.

'I want to reassure you that the bullet did not damage his spinal cord as such' she added quickly 'but it came very close and there is quite a bit of swelling just above his first lumbar vertebrae'

'What does that mean?' asked Sara, worried

'It means that until the swelling goes down, Mr. Caffrey will have loss of function in his lower body - particularly his hips and legs. He may need to use a wheelchair until the swelling comes down completely'

'How long will _that_ take?' Sara asked – a question that was on everyone's mind

'It's difficult to say but I can assure you that the situation is not permanent. The vertebrae itself in intact, we were able to ascertain that' she explained patiently

Everyone listened as she continued.

'So, barring infection, the prognosis for a full recovery is excellent. Mr. Caffrey will be in hospital for up to a week and if he is well enough, we will monitor him on an out-patient basis after that. For tonight, we're keeping him in the ICU and I'm afraid only one person can be in there at any given time'

Sara thanked her as everyone seemed to relax at the encouraging news. They all stared at each other, everyone processing what the doctor had just said.

'Look, I think everyone should go home and get some rest' said Sara as she looked around the room at all the weary faces 'I'm going to stay with Neal until they move him out of the intensive care unit'

'Mom, can we see him before we go?' Liam asked

'Of course, honey' she said, touching his hair 'Why don't you go in first?'

Sara took Liam by the arm and directed him down the hall to the intensive care unit which held six rooms around a busy nursing station. Patients were monitored on a one on one basis and Sara spotted the nurse which had been assigned to Neal's room.

'Patsy, this is our son' she said as she held Liam's arm

'You want to see your dad?' asked the kind nurse 'Come with me' she said as she led him a few rooms over while Sara waited by the nurses' station

Liam wasn't sure what to expect; he'd only been in hospital once in his life and it had looked nothing like this. His dad was hooked up to several monitors and had a breathing tube in his mouth making his face look taut yet strangely serene.

'Hi Dad. It's me, Liam. I hope you can hear me. I just want you to know that you don't need to worry about Mom and Hope. I'll make sure everything's okay at home until you get better'

He waited almost as if he expected Neal to answer. It felt strange to be having a one-sided conversation with his dad who was never at a loss for words.

'The nurse at the other hospital gave me back my pebble so I brought it for you' Liam said tentatively as he pulled it out of his pant pocket. He'd been toying with it in his hand all night as he'd prayed for his dad to pull through the surgery.

'Here, I'll just put it under your pillow for good luck, okay? But don't lose it; I'm going to need it back if the Rangers make it to the third round of the playoffs'

He watched his dad's face – he knew he'd be laughing if he could hear him.

'So, anyway. I'd better go. Everybody's waiting to see you so I'll talk to you later' Liam said as he stood to leave

'You okay?' Sara asked as Liam reappeared a few moments after going on

Liam nodded as he put his arm around his mom, leading her back to the waiting room. When they returned, Peter was pacing; they'd drawn straws to see in what order they would go in and he was on deck. He looked up as Liam and Sara returned. She pointed him in the right direction and off he went.

WCWCWC

The ICU was eerily quiet when Peter walked in. He introduced himself and was led to Neal's room, taking in the sight of his buddy lying motionless on the bed. It was strange to see Neal so inert; he was usually a force to be reckoned with – always in movement, full of plans and ideas. Life had thrown him a curve ball and Peter was confident he would pull through, as he always did. He moved closer to the bed, taking in Neal's peaceful face, no tension discernible on his forehead. He spotted the one and only chair, pulling it in close to the bed and taking Neal's hand as he sat.

'Hey buddy. You gave me quite a scare. I'm getting a little old for this stuff so if you could hold off on the dramatics, I'd really appreciate it' he said with a laugh

'Cam told me what happened at the gallery; I can just imagine how you must have felt when you walked in. Don't worry, okay. We'll get everything cleaned up and repainted and it'll look as good as new. The assholes who did this might think they've won but you can't stop people from creating beautiful art and before you know it, the place will be full of amazing stuff again'

Peter felt his throat tighten as he realized how close he'd come to losing his best friend.

'You know all those times you went undercover and you came back without a scratch – I sort of began to think you were immortal. But you're not, none of us are and I just... I just want you to know how much I love you, how much you mean to me' he said, his voice becoming shaky

'Look at me, getting all maudlin. Stupid old man...' he said, more to himself than to his partner

'You'd be having a good old laugh at me if you could' Peter added as he gazed down at Neal's face. He could have sworn he saw the corner of Neal's mouth curl up in a smile.

'Just rest, Neal. We're here for you and you'll be back on your feet in no time' he said as he stood to leave

WCWCWC

'So, the truth. How are you?' Sara asked as she sat in a corner of the waiting room next to her daughter

Hope just looked up at her mom, shaking her head. Thankfully, the nurses had taken pity on her and had given her some scrubs to wear, allowing her to peel off the bloody clothes which had been a constant reminder of the horrible experience she'd just been through.

'I don't know. I don't remember much – just... just seeing Dad lying there and I think I was talking to 911 on the phone but... to be honest, I really don't remember' she said, her eyes faraway

'Everybody says you saved Daddy's life' said Sara, her voice quiet

Hope shrugged 'I don't know, maybe... I just... I can't believe what he did for me'

Sara looked at her daughter, a puzzled look on her face.

'The guy with the gun – he was pointing it straight at me and Dad just kept coming closer... he was so brave... he was trying to get between me and the gun and then there was that awful sound and... I really don't remember the rest' Hope said, her voice soft

Sara rubbed her daughter's back, lovingly staring into her bright blue eyes and for a moment, she was reminded of Neal again. She was her father's daughter in so many ways – from her beautiful eyes, to her good heart, to her immense talent; she was her dad's pride and joy and Sara knew how proud Neal would be of their daughter's actions in such trying circumstances.

'Daddy loves you so much – he'd give up his life for you and Liam' said Sara

They looked up to see Peter returning and Hope stood to take her turn by her dad's bedside, anxious to see him. There were things she desperately needed to let him know.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Hope tiptoed into the ICU room where her dad lay, still unconscious, following his four hour surgery. She took the chair by the bed and slipped her hand into his. She was relieved to see that his face was calm and serene; a far cry from how he'd looked the night before as he'd fought for his life on the floor of the Raphael Gallery. Although any detail was impossible to recall, Hope was intermittently getting flashes of sights and sounds from the previous night; she remembered the look of anguish and pain on her dad's face, the way his lips moved without making a sound, the feel of the blood warm against her hands as she pushed relentlessly on the open wound.

'Dad' she said softly after having stared at him for a long moment

'Everybody's saying that I saved your life... but the truth is you're the one who saved mine. Standing between me and that gun... it was... crazy but really brave, Dad'

She stopped to look at his face, watching for any sign that he could hear her voice.

'I remember you telling me that being brave meant doing something even though you're scared, well, you sure put your money where your mouth is' she said with a small smile

'That guy was really scary, well his gun was anyway and I totally froze but you... you just kept coming towards me, protecting me, keeping me out of harm's way. Now look at you...' she said as she began to cry softly

'I couldn't stand it if you didn't pull through. Please Daddy, promise me you'll get better, promise me it'll be like before. I'm getting ready to leave for university in a few months and... I just couldn't live with myself...' she trailed off as her eyes went to his face

'Anyway, Mom wants to come and sit with you so I'll be back later' she said as she bent down to place a small kiss on his cheek.

'Thanks Daddy' she whispered 'I love you'

She turned to leave and didn't see her dad's smile or his eyes as they briefly peeked out from his closed eyelids.

WCWCWC

Sara sat alone with Cameron in the waiting room. She'd managed to convince everyone else to go home and get some rest and the two of them waited patiently for Hope to come back from her visit to the ICU. Sara really liked Cam and she'd learned to trust him since he'd come into their lives - not only was he a reliable and hardworking employee, he was a loving boyfriend to their daughter and he'd become a member of their extended family. Liam seemed to like him a lot and Sara thought he was a wonderful role model for the young teen as he struggled with coming into his own.

'Were you there last night?' Sara asked quietly

'They called me from Hope's phone and I got there just after the ambulance left' he answered 'I guess I was the last person she'd talked to, so they took a chance on calling me'

'How was she when you got there?' Sara asked

She was worried about Hope coming out of this experience with a lot of emotional baggage. Being held at gunpoint and watching your dad bleeding at your feet was more drama than anyone could bear and she was concerned that Hope might need help to cope with the aftermath. Cameron looked squarely at Sara, gauging how much of the ugly truth she could handle. He decided to go for the whole enchilada; after all, just like him, Sara was simply concerned for her daughter's wellbeing.

'First off, the gallery had been ransacked and I can only imagine how Mr. Caffrey felt when he saw the mess that was left behind and then to have one of the guys still lurking with a gun...'

Sara listened intently as her heart broke at the thought that Neal's beloved gallery had been totally destroyed.

'Mr. Burke and I chatted and we want to get it all fixed up before Mr. Caffrey gets out of hospital. Nobody should have to see that' he said, looking self-conscious

Sara smiled at the realization that they had such good friends watching over them in their time of need.

'What about Hope?' she asked

'When I got there, the police was with her and they were just coming back from cleaning her up a little in the gallery's washroom' he answered

Sara had seen Hope covered in blood and wondered what the hell they'd cleaned up – she'd looked horrible from the moment Sara had laid eyes on her in the middle of the night.

'You know, her hands... the police told me that she'd followed the advice of the 911 attendant to the letter and that she had her hands... well, she was right in there working on keeping the bleeding from getting worse when the paramedics got there'

'Oh my God, I was afraid of that. This is going to haunt her for a long time' said Sara, shaking her head in desperation at the thought of her beautiful daughter having to face such a horrible situation.

'They said they had trouble pulling her away from her dad, she didn't want to let go. I guess she was afraid he might die if she stopped pressing on his injury'

'That sounds like Hope – once she gets something in her head...' said Sara as she stared off into the distance

'By the time I got there, she was... well, almost catatonic. Looking at me but not seeing me, a little disconnected from the reality around her' he added

'I can imagine' said Sara, although no one could truly know how another human being would process such trauma

'I just took her by the shoulders and pointed her in the direction of the car and I called Mr. Burke. I'm sorry but I didn't have your cell number in my phone and Hope was in no fit state to tell me how to get in touch with you' he said, suddenly feeling guilty for not having called Sara first

Sara touched his hand 'Don't worry about it. I'm here now, that's all that counts'

WCWCWC

Hope had just walked through the large double doors of the intensive care unit on the way back to join Cameron when she spotted a young man hovering right by the door. Her arrival seemed to be of interest to him and he looked up, his large brown eyes suddenly focussed on her.

'Hope?' he asked, unsure

She looked up to meet his gaze, his voice so familiar yet she'd never laid eyes on him before and she wondered how she could possibly be recognizing that soothing voice.

'Yes' she said, as a little light suddenly went on 'Colin?'

'Yeah' he said, with a smile, obviously relieved that she knew who he was 'I was just finishing up my shift at the emergency call centre down the street and I thought I'd swing by and check on you... and find out how your dad is'

Hope let out a sigh as she laughed. 'You came all the way here...' she began

'Like I said, it's not far and after a shift, it always takes a while to unwind, anyway' he said with a warm smile 'So how are you feeling?'

'Like I just had an out-of-body experience' she said, the best way she could think to describe her reaction to the events from the night before

'I hear that a lot' Colin answered 'After a tragedy, people tell us that it was as if they were watching themselves go through the motions ... almost as if they were watching a movie'

'That's exactly it!' Hope said, thankful someone understood how she was feeling 'I was doing exactly what you were telling me to do but I don't remember my hands moving... it was like they had a mind of their own'

'Well, you did a great job. The nurses tell me your dad is going to pull through?' he asked as he looked into her baby blues which were beginning to tear up for the umpteenth time over the past twelve hours.

She nodded in response. 'I think so but, he lost a lot of blood...'

'Not as much as if you hadn't been there to help him' he said, kindly 'You know, blood loss is the number one reason for death following a gunshot wound. Patients bleeding out before help gets there is the main reason they die. Your dad was very lucky you were there and that you were able to keep him alive'

'And I was very lucky to have you on the other end of the phone' she said, her voice shaky

'Well, I'm really glad I was there for you' he answered self-consciously

He wasn't all that much older than Hope herself, in his mid-twenties at best and Hope marvelled at how calm and composed he was as he'd talked her through everything the night before.

'Can I ask – how long have you been doing this?' she finally said, curiosity getting the better of her

'I started six weeks ago' he answered as she stared in disbelief

'Six weeks? Really? It sounded like you'd been doing this your whole life' she responded in admiration

'Well, you were my first gunshot wound so I'm really happy things are going to work out for your dad' he said shuffling slightly, obviously embarrassed at the compliment 'Anyway, I better get home. I live with my grandmother and she always gets worried if I'm late coming home from a shift. I keep telling her, 'Grandma, I'm safe on the other end of the phone, it's not like I'm out there arresting the bad guys myself' but you know grandmas' he said

Hope's mind turned to her grandma June. It seemed like years ago - and not less than twenty four hours before - that she'd said her goodbyes to her.

'I _do_ know' she said, thankful that she had many happy memories of her grandma over the years.

'Good luck' said Colin as he turned to leave

And just like that, Hope's (and Neal's) guardian angel walked out of her life.

WCWCWC

Sara was on her way back to Neal, having entrusted Cameron to take Hope home, when she heard a frantic voice behind her.

'Sara!' she heard as she turned to see Lorna and Marion coming towards her

She knew Lorna quite well from many phone calls and several family get-togethers; Marion, on the other hand, she'd only met on a couple of occasions. She looked up to see the Ellington sisters looking flustered and upset.

'Is it true?' they asked

Sara frowned for a moment at the question.

'We called your place to talk to Neal and Mozzie told us what had happened' said Lorna as she swept in to give Sara a hug

Sara began to cry again, something she had held off doing for the last little while as she made sure everyone else around her was okay – especially the kids. She nodded as she began to sniffle in Lorna's arms.

'I'm so sorry' Sara finally said 'about not being there when your mom passed away'

Lorna pulled away to look into Sara's emerald eyes and took her face in her hands.

'Sara, my mom knew how you felt about her. Don't give it a second thought' she answered reassuringly 'Right now, I'm more concerned about Neal. How is he?'

'He was shot in the stomach. They had to take out his spleen and the bullet came out his back just barely missing his spinal cord' she said, realizing once again just how lucky Neal had been

'Oh, my God' said Marion 'Look, you tell him to get better. We're not having our mom's funeral until he can be there'

Sara nodded 'Thank you. I know that'll mean a lot to him. I'm just on my way back to the intensive care unit to be with him. When he wakes up, I'll make sure to tell him you were here'

'And let us know when we can visit' added Lorna, taking Sara's hand

'Alright. Thank you for coming' said Sara as she tore herself away, the magnetic pull of the man she loved pulling her towards him

Nothing much had changed since she'd been by his side earlier. The nurses briefed her and told her that he would be waking up soon and that he might be upset at having the breathing tube – it was always disconcerting to wake disoriented only to find you had an object down your trachea. Patsy explained that if his oxygen was good, they would try to take him off the tube once he got his bearings. It was important for Neal to remain calm when he woke considering all the work that had been done on him.

Sara took her place by his side and waited; it had been over an hour since he'd come out of surgery and the nurses encouraged her to speak to him and help him come out of the anaesthetic as soon as possible.

'Neal' she said gently as she took the lone seat beside him 'I'm back'

Her voice seemed to reach his psyche and she noticed his hand move in hers at the sound of her voice.

'Honey?' she said as she stood to better look into his face

It took but a few seconds for his eyes to flutter open, slowly at first then, as he recognized her, his eyes got bigger. He seemed to panic suddenly at the feel of the tube in his throat and his eyes grew even larger, terror setting in as he pleaded with his eyes for Sara to do something.

'Patsy!' Sara called out

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

'Honey, you really should try to have a nap; you barely slept at all last night' Elizabeth said as she sat next to Peter on the couch, cup of tea in hand

'I'm waiting for a call back from Jones and Chris Newcombe from NYPD about the break-in' said Peter, yawning

'Well, you can nap while you wait' said El in her usual 'El way'

'No honey, I want to go down to the gallery and check things out for myself. We'll be seeing Neal later and I want to be able to give him some news' Peter answered as he stood

Elizabeth Burke looked at her husband, finally giving in; there was no sense in arguing with him and she should know better than to even try. Neal and Sara were their best friends and what they were going through was a hardship of mammoth proportions. She knew that wild horses couldn't keep Peter from doing everything he possibly could to make things better.

'Alright, fine. I'll sit and wait for Sara to call back with news' she said as she placed a peck on his cheek.

'Call me if you hear _anything_!' he admonished

And with that, Peter Burke took off to check out the damages at his best friend's cherished gallery and to start the job of making things right.

WCWCWC

Sara stood next to Neal, running her hands through his hair and keeping him still as Patsy removed the breathing tube bringing on a most annoying gag reflex. Neal let out a couple of short coughs as he adjusted to the air flow directly into his lungs. Patsy began to pull away, taking the cart with the breathing apparatus with her as she spoke.

'Neal' she said to her very groggy patient 'You seem to be breathing fine on your own so I'll just keep an eye on your oxygen levels for now – I'm sure you can make do with one less machine'

He nodded through his bleary haze; coming out of general anaesthetic was never very pleasant and in Neal's case, it was usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting something he was most definitely not looking forward to. He looked up at Sara's smiling face as he continued to connect with the real world once again and take stock of how he was feeling. He felt the tightness of the bandage across his chest and winced at the pain as he tried to move slightly on the bed.

'Don't try to move too much Neal' warned Sara 'Do you want an ice chip?'

Neal coughed as he prepared to talk, sending a wave of pain through his abdomen. Suddenly his eyes, which had been opening slowly and fluttering as he came too, opened as big as saucers as a look of sheer terror crossed his face.

'SARA!' he screamed, his voice hoarse 'I CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS'

WCWCWC

The scene at the gallery seemed even worse in broad daylight and Peter began to walk around, stepping over broken frames, glass and other debris and generally taking in the mess left behind by some very cowardly, violent intruders. His buddy, Chris Newcombe from the NYPD, had called and arranged to meet him there in order to give him an update on the investigation. The fact that there had been a shooting and a near fatality had upped the ante for the police department and had made it a more high profile case, worthy of investing manpower.

'Sorry, there are no cameras out back' he said as he returned to find Peter hunched over a piece of canvas which lay on the ground

'And there was nothing on the cameras out front?' Peter asked

'No, they most likely used the back alley for their getaway' he responded 'Have you noticed anything obvious missing?'

'Neal and his daughter Hope were the last to leave that day. But the till was open and empty so I'm assuming anything that was in there was taken; Neal left in a hurry without making the usual bank deposit' Peter answered as he continued to take stock of the situation

'What about some of the art? We might be able to trace the culprits if they try to fence anything?' suggested Newcombe

'I'd have to do a full inventory...' said Peter as he shook his head in desolation '... but yeah, one of the employees is going to give me a hand going over everything. We'll let you know'

'I'm sorry Peter, there's very little to go on but my guess is this is personal' said Newcombe as he looked around 'Nobody does this kind of thing randomly; whoever did this had it in for Caffrey – or for his wife'

Peter had already figured as much, nobody would take the time to make such a mess if their intention was to simply rob the place; this was a crime of passion, someone was damn mad at Neal or Sara and wanted to get revenge. Peter had brought in Jones and the White Collar unit as well – anyone who had crossed Neal's path during his crime fighting days might be a suspect and he didn't want to leave any stone unturned.

He thought of Neal, lying in hospital – maybe when he came to, he'd be able to give him some sort of description of his attacker. Hope had given him a very cursory depiction but she had never seen the man before and in the state she was in, her sense of observation was certainly not up to par.

Newcombe took his leave, promising to be in touch with any new developments on the case. Once alone, Peter took a deep breath and he began the enormous job of cleaning up the senseless mess.

WCWCWC

Neal's nurse ran in as she heard him scream from down the hall. She found him agitated, thrashing around on the bed with Sara trying frantically to calm him down. Although she was desperately trying to give him an explanation as to his temporary paralysis, he was having none of it as he reacted to what he thought was the end of his life as he knew it. Patsy ran to his side, injecting something in his IV line as he continued to scream and thrash around, in no fit state to listen to any logical explanation. Sara stepped aside and the nurse moved in closer to the bed, holding Neal down firmly by the shoulders.

'Neal' she said resolutely 'Calm down and let me explain this to you'

It took a few seconds for the medication to kick in and Neal finally stilled under her hands, becoming limp and relaxed, his eyes still wildly going from her face to Sara's who continued to stand nearby, hand over her mouth, shocked at his extreme reaction. She'd known he would be upset at his current condition but she'd expected him to come to gradually and she assumed they would have time to relay what the doctor had explained about his temporary loss of mobility.

'You're going to hurt yourself if you keep moving around like that' she said sternly as Neal began to focus on her face

His breathing which had been totally erratic began to calm down as he took in a few long breaths, his wild eyes beginning to droop slightly in reaction to the medication. Patsy let go of his shoulders and stood aside for Sara to move back in and the two of them looked down at Neal who was finally calm and serene although Sara could still see the terror in his eyes.

'You are _not_ paralysed' Patsy said in no uncertain terms

'But...' Neal began weakly

'Listen to me. The doctor will be in shortly to explain all this to you. The bullet exited through your back right next to your spinal cord. There's a lot of swelling there and it's pressing on your vertebrae but the swelling will come down eventually' she said, giving him just enough of an explanation to keep him calm

'Now, promise me you won't do that again' she said firmly about his earlier outburst 'You have a lot of healing to do and your stitches aren't going to hold up if you start thrashing around like that'

Neal nodded, a child being scolded and looked over at Sara who was beginning to relax at seeing her husband return to a more normal state. Patsy gave Sara a knowing look and stepped away returning to the nurses' station.

'Sara' Neal said, his speech slightly slurred 'What's going on?'

'Honey, you need to stay calm' she said as she looked straight into his eyes which were slightly unfocussed

He nodded. 'Okay' he said

'Do you trust me?' she said

He nodded again.

'Then listen to me. I'll tell you what the doctor told me and then we'll wait for her to come and we'll talk to her together, okay?' Sara said, exaggerating every syllable

Neal stared ahead, eyes bleary, and Sara hoped he was getting all of what she was saying.

'There's swelling pushing against your spinal cord and it's keeping you from feeling or moving your legs. But the swelling will eventually go down and your legs will be just like before' she explained patiently

'Even- tually' Neal repeated, his speech slurred; the word seemed too big for his muddled mind

'Yes. And when Dr. Miller gets here, we can ask her for more details' she added

They stared at each other for a moment and Sara noted something she hadn't often seen in Neal Caffrey's eyes over the years.

'I'm scared' Neal finally muttered, his defenses down due to the medication which was now fully circulating in his veins

'I know, honey, me too. But you're alive and you're going to be alright' Sara said as she continued to gently run her hand through his hair 'I'm not going anywhere, Neal'

Neal looked like a little boy, so vulnerable and defenceless and his eyes began to close, thoroughly exhausted from his little outburst and unable to fight the meds any longer. Sara watched as he finally gave in, his body mangled and his mind muddled.

'L-l-love you' he murmured as he finally dropped off, his eyelids closing completely

'I love _you_, Neal' she responded.

Only then, did Sara give in to the moment, noting her hands were shaking and the tears started rolling down her face.

WCWCWC

'Oh, sweetie. You have to stay strong for him' Elizabeth Burke said into the phone

'I know but, El... if you'd only seen his face. He was totally devastated. Even if this is only temporary, not having the use of his legs is going to kill Neal. He hates giving up any control and... on top of all that, there's June's funeral to think of and...' said Sara, letting down her defences and crying into the phone

'Hey, hey. One thing at a time. Neal is a very strong man and he'll get through this' El said 'Do you want me to come down and sit with you for awhile?'

'No. It's fine. Look, the doctor is coming in a few minutes so I need to get back to Neal' said Sara, wiping her eyes and regaining control

'Sara, you're taking care of everybody else but you need to remember to take care of yourself. You know 'Cura te ipsum' and all that. You're no good to Neal if you don't rest up' Elizabeth said

'I'm fine, El. I can't be anywhere else right now – I need to be with him' Sara said as she prepared to hang up

'Well, call if there's anything I can do. Peter and I will be by later this afternoon' El said

Sara returned to the ICU, noting as she approached her husband's room, that he was sleeping soundly and thankfully, peacefully. She knew that when he woke up again, all those irrational fears of his would resurface and that she had to be ready to be the cautiously optimistic one, a role she had not often been called on to play in their many years of marriage.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Neal Caffrey was by all standards an optimistic person, a glass half-full kinda guy. Over his long years of conning, he had considered that personality trait an absolute must for success. The smile he had plastered on his face all those years had become, for better or for worse, a permanent part of his persona and even now, years after he'd retired from his conman days, that positive outlook on life remained.

He lay in a bed in the intensive care unit of Bellevue Hospital and reminded himself of that very fact, although at the moment he was finding it very difficult to look on the bright side of things.

He'd noticed Sara sitting nearby, looking weary, pretending to be interested in a magazine (a gardening magazine of all things, probably the only thing that had been lying about) and he quickly closed his eyes again, returning to his 'pretend' nap. He didn't feel like talking – even to Sara – he just wanted to lie there and lick his wounds alone.

He thought of June and the strange dream he'd had of her as she glided with him around the hospital operating room. She'd felt so real as he'd watched her float away one last time. He suddenly felt a jabbing pain in his abdomen and winced trying unsuccessfully to stifle a moan and Sara was on her feet again, hovering over him.

He resisted the urge to open his eyes and Sara finally retreated after a few seconds but not before placing a soft kiss on his forehead. That almost got to him and he just about gave in and opened his eyes but he managed to hold fast, his eyes shut tight as he felt tears form under his closed lids; he hoped she hadn't noticed and sure enough, he finally heard her move away and return to the nearby chair to continue her vigil.

'Temporary paralysis' Dr. Miller had said when she'd come by earlier

Neal thought back to the less than satisfactory exchange between them.

'How long will this last?' he'd asked, his voice sounding a little too desperate for his taste

'Impossible to say' she'd answered 'Your body will heal in its own good time. The younger the body, the faster the healing...'

That was a jab if ever there was one, Neal thought. He hated aging; sure there was the whole vanity thing, the crows feet, the graying temples but more than that were all the little tell-tale signs: the creak in his knees when he jogged, the tightness in his back after shovelling, the crick in his neck when he'd attempted that oh-so-pleasant little manoeuvre in bed a week ago. Those were the real signs of aging and he realized that even the great Neal Caffrey wasn't immune to such mundane things.

His mind returned to June. He'd heard Sara talking with someone earlier about the funeral being postponed until he was well enough to attend. He was glad of that but he'd begun to wonder when he'd be well enough to be mobile. Maybe he'd be walking in a week or so; a guy could hope. Regardless, he had the very important job of giving the eulogy and he didn't want to let anybody down, least of all June who would likely be presiding over things – her presence always near those she loved.

'Temporary paralysis' he kept repeating to himself. Shit, that could be hours, days, weeks or even months. He had a life to live, a gallery to run, children to raise, a wife to make love to – he didn't have the luxury of months before he got back to his life. Despite his attempt at subterfuge, he let out a loud sigh accompanied by a small whimper and Sara was back at his side once again, hovering.

'Neal?' he heard her say

She knew him much too well for him to keep deceiving her and he reluctantly opened his eyes, immediately spotting the look of concern in her eyes.

'I'm fine' he answered

'Do you need more pain medication?' she asked her arm gently on his

'Huh, considering I can't feel my legs...' he began, trying to keep things light

'Neal, stop it. This is no time for jokes' Sara answered, an edge of impatience to her voice

She knew her husband's propensity for making light of things to deflect from his true feelings; she was definitely not in the mood for his usual deflections on this Thursday afternoon.

'For your abdomen' she said as she placed her hand softly on his stomach

Despite his best efforts, he grimaced again and she pulled back immediately. 'I'm sorry' she said, wincing in sympathy

'Maybe I _am_ due for another dose' he relented

'I'll get Patsy' she said, rising to leave 'While you were asleep, she told me they'd be moving you up to one of the regular floors anytime now'

'Oh yeah?' he said, pretending he hadn't already heard everything that had been said in his presence

'I'll be right back' Sara said as she smiled and kissed him gently

Neal watched as she turned to walk away: he hated 'compassionate' Sara, he wanted her to be her normal, acerbic, prickly self. That, he knew how to deal with.

WCWCWC

'Are you sure this is a good idea?' Cameron asked as they sat having coffee in the Caffrey kitchen

'I've got to face it sooner or later...' Hope answered, a faraway look in her eyes

'I'm thinking later might be better' Cam said, unsure as to his response

'No, Cam. I want to do this. I feel so useless knowing my dad is lying in a hospital bed; it's the least I can do to help make things right. Anyway, we can't visit until they move him so I might as well do something while we're waiting' she answered, adamant

They were discussing meeting up with Peter at the gallery and making a start on getting the mess cleaned up. Cameron had enlisted a bunch of his classmates, many of them who'd been in Mr. Caffrey's French Impressionism class, to start the massive clean-up of the gallery. He knew his girlfriend pretty well and, just like her mom, she was a very no-nonsense young woman. If she said she wanted to be there, he would have a hell of a time trying to get her to change her mind. He'd been learning by watching Neal interact with Sara over the past year and a bit, that there were some battles that couldn't be won with the Caffrey women. Neal had told him on several occasions that Hope was just like her mom in that regard and Cam had been paying careful attention over the past few months as he watched Neal manoeuvre around Sara, cajoling her, making her laugh, teasing her... or just backing down when the situation called for it.

Hope and Cameron had come home from the hospital early in the morning and Cam had stayed over on the hide-a-bed in the family room – mostly out of respect for Neal and Sara, even though neither one of them was home at the time. Although Cam and Hope had embarked on a very active sex life, they were still role models for Liam and on the few occasions Cameron Armstrong had slept over, the Caffreys had insisted he sleep downstairs in the family room. He was happy to respect those wishes. Of course, Hope had come down to get something to eat at some point and she'd somehow ended up by his side on the hide-a-bed, but technically, they felt they _had_ respected her parents' wishes.

'What are you guys talking about?' came Liam's sleepy voice as he came down the stairs

'Some of us are going to get started on cleaning up the gallery this afternoon' Cameron answered

'I want to come and help' said Liam without hesitation

Hope looked over at Cam with a question mark in her eyes, unsure if that was a good idea.

'Sure' said Cam 'We could use all the help we can get'

'Eat, though' Liam's big sister admonished 'You've got to keep your sugar levels balanced'

Liam nodded in agreement as he made his way to the fridge.

WCWCWC

'Oh, my God. I had no idea it was this bad' Elizabeth said as she stepped into the gallery and took in the mess that had been left behind

She walked around taking in the broken glass, the torn canvasses, the fractured frames. She let out a gasp as she neared the back room, spotting the pool of blood on the beautiful hard wood floor.

'Cam texted me. He says Hope is insisting on helping so we need to get this cleaned up before she gets here' Peter said as he carried in the buckets, rags and mop they'd brought from home

El nodded as she slowly got over the shock. She felt Peter's hand on her back and she looked away from the floor and into his eyes.

'Are you sure you're up to this?' he asked

'Yes... I want to help. Hope doesn't need to see this again' El said as she grabbed a bucket and headed for the bathroom at the very back of the gallery

'Any news from Sara?' Peter called out

'They're moving Neal to a regular room sometime before tonight' she responded over the sound of the tap running

'Good, we'll be able to visit. I'm hoping Neal can give me a description of this guy' Peter said as he got to work

Elizabeth reappeared with a bucket full of soapy water in her hand.

'Don't push too hard, honey. He's going to be fragile for awhile' she warned

'Neal? Fragile? He's gonna be angry and frustrated but fragile?'

'You know what I mean' said El

'If you want to get Neal Caffrey angry, treat him like an invalid. I learned that a long time ago' Peter said as he began to scrub the floor

WCWCWC

'Mr. Caffrey, we're going to lift you onto this gurney. Do you think you can help us by using your arms?' asked the porter as he leaned over Neal

'Of course I can help you' Neal answered, slightly annoyed at the question

The two men stood on either side of him, preparing to lift him out of the bed in the ICU using the sheet underneath his less than mobile body. Neal could see Sara lingering nearby and wished she wasn't staring as she was, anxious for the transfer to go off without a hitch.

Within minutes, he found himself in a bright hospital room with the late May sun shining in – west view, he concluded, considering it was almost 6:00. Sara continued to follow close behind, her obvious concern for him driving him nuts. There was so much to work through and he just wanted a bit of time to be by himself and think things out without having her there, constantly hovering.

'Honey' he said as he prepared to put his silver tongue to good use 'You look exhausted. Why don't you go home and get some rest; the kids and Peter and El said they'd be coming by tonight'

'I don't want to leave you' she answered, her eyes warm and loving

'There's nothing you can do. Look, I'm not in any danger here' he said pointing to the nearby nurses station 'The nurses are right there, I've got my trusty buzzer' he added, grabbing the nearby contraption.

'But...' Sara began

'But nothing, Sara. I'll feel better if I know you're getting a good night's sleep' he said, actually smiling although he wasn't quite sure how he was managing it

Sara looked around, unsure. She didn't want to leave his side but she was feeling absolutely done in; still wearing the clothes she'd thrown on in that hotel room in Chicago.

'Please...' he pleaded 'For me?'

She let out a long sigh and smiled back at him. Truth be told, she could sure use a shower and finally sleeping in her own bed after almost a week away would be heavenly.

'Alright' she reluctantly agreed 'But I'll be back first thing in the morning and...'

'... call if I need anything, I know' he said, finishing her sentence

'Everything's going to be okay, Neal' she said as she moved in to kiss her husband tenderly

As much as he wished he could, in that moment those words were just too hard to believe.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Sara Ellis returned home to find the house quiet and empty and a note on the kitchen table saying that Hope and Liam had headed out with Cameron to join the Burkes at the gallery. She hadn't seen the ugly mess left behind by the intruders and she didn't have any inclination to see it either. Thank God for Peter and Elizabeth, once again, friends through thick and thin. She dragged herself up the stairs to her room, pulling off her clothes as she went, anxious to stand under the hot shower for however long it took to chase away the weariness from her tired bones. Less than twenty four hours earlier, she'd been in Chicago unaware of June's passing, let alone Neal's eventual predicament; so much had happened since then and she felt totally done in.

She stood under the hot spray wondering how the coming days and weeks would play out. She hadn't been surprised by Neal's need to retreat – it was just like him to lick his wounds in private. She just didn't want him pulling away so completely that she couldn't reach him and she prayed he would let her in and allow her to comfort him as time went on. Neal was a proud man who didn't like being doted on and she had to respect that to a certain point but he was also his own worst enemy at times as he fought to keep his emotions to himself. Losing his mobility – and his autonomy – even for a short period of time would be extremely difficult for a man like Neal Caffrey.

She began to think of all the logistics involved in providing support to someone who couldn't get around: he'd need a wheelchair, that was for sure, and what about sleeping arrangements? He'd have to sleep down in the family room. How would the whole bathroom situation be? And what about physical intimacy? Her mind began reeling and she absent-mindedly turned off the shower and grabbed for a nearby towel, willing her brain to stop churning. Maybe his recovery would be a lot faster than they anticipated; she needed to stay positive and help him do the same.

She dragged herself to bed, pulling back the duvet and letting herself melt into the mattress. She turned to her right and snuggled up to Neal's pillow as if he were there and surprisingly, within seconds, she had found blissful sleep.

WCWCWC

By five o'clock that afternoon, the Burke seven had made incredible progress in cleaning up the mess at the Raphael Gallery. Bags and bags of garbage had been hauled out to the back alley for garbage pick-up and except for the sorry state of the walls, the place looked tidy if not desolate and empty. Cameron had recruited Max and his friend Jennifer to help out and between them, they had managed to collect all the debris.

Cam had feared Hope's reaction when she first walked into the gallery but he needn't have worried; she was back to her strong, no-nonsense self and she had gone straight to work cleaning up the mess in the back room. He'd noticed how she'd hesitated as she'd held her favorite student's ruined painting in her hands but she had snapped back almost immediately and carried on, no doubt buoyed by the need to get the job done for her dad's sake. Peter had suggested she stay downstairs – there was no need for her to go to the second floor where her own paintings had been savagely destroyed along with Neal's. He and Liam had taken on that task, working in silence to get the job done.

WCWCWC

Neal slept off and on, thankful for the time away from Sara's watchful eye. As much as he loved his wife and shared (almost) everything with her, there were times when he needed to work things out for himself – and this was definitely one of those times. The pain in his gut screamed once again as he moved slightly on the narrow bed and he let out a moan as he tried to find a comfortable position to lie in; it didn't help that his legs weren't cooperating in any way, feeling like they were being held down by huge blocks of cement. He tried in vain to move the dead weight once again but all that did was bring on another wave of excruciating pain in his abdomen and he gave up, frustrated. Although he was happy to be alive (glass half-full), his mind wandered to what lay ahead: June's funeral and the next few days and weeks – or heaven forbid, months.

He thought about the practicalities involved in not having the use of his legs – after all, he was a man who was used to being active and in perpetual motion. He tried to imagine going about his business without being able to walk and his mind boggled at the implications. How would he manage at home and at the gallery? The thought of having to use a wheelchair was revolting in his present state of mind and he tried to imagine all the help he might need to function on a day to day basis. Positive Neal sat on his shoulder reminding him that his present circumstance was just temporary but Neal just flicked him off returning to thoughts of self-pity. He wondered about using the bathroom and he reached ever so awkwardly to write his concern down on the piece of paper he'd been jotting his questions on. Dr. Miller was supposed to return by the end of the day and he wanted to get some answers while he prepared for what lay ahead.

He looked up and noticed he wasn't alone – Hope and Liam lurked in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt what they could see was an intense moment for their dad.

'Hope! Liam!' Neal said with a smile – a genuine smile

'Hey Dad' they said in unison as they stepped into the room

'I'm so glad to see you guys' he said as he struggled to sit up

'Dad, take it easy. Here, let me help you' said Hope as she reached for the handset on the side of the motorized bed to help him sit up

Despite not having to make any physical effort, Neal grimaced as the bed dragged him up, pulling on his fresh stitches.

'Sorry' said Hope as she winced

'S'okay. I need to sit up a bit' he eked out, his voice strained

'I guess we don't have to ask how you're feeling, huh?' asked Liam as he made his way to the other side of the bed

Neal just gave him a look, eyebrows raised, forced smile.

'We snuck in a cronut!' Liam whispered excitedly as he glanced around to see if any of the nurses were around

'Lemon maple?' asked Neal, hopeful

'Of course!' said Liam, knowing full well this was his dad's favorite 'Is there any other flavor?'

Neal laughed out loud surprising himself. There didn't seem to be much to be happy about at the moment yet the sight of his kids and his favorite cronut seemed to have momentarily done the trick.

'Dad, we spent the afternoon at the gallery and got most of it cleaned up' said Hope

'Oh, honey. You didn't need to go back there' Neal said as he imagined his little girl having to face her demons

'It was fine. Actually, it felt good to do something positive and try to get the place back to normal' she said

'Oh and Auntie Elizabeth said she'd bring by some color samples for repainting the walls' added Liam

'That does sound like Auntie Elizabeth' Neal conceded as he thought of her constant need to make things right

Neal took a deep breath before continuing. He wanted to explain things to the kids and put a positive spin on the outcome of his injury so they wouldn't worry needlessly – yet, keeping the fact that he had no sensation or mobility in his legs was not an option.

'Look, you guys. The doctor said that the bullet grazed my spinal cord and left some swelling there' he began as the two of them listened carefully

'It's caused some pressure on my vertebrae and for now I can't feel my legs. But, it's only temporary' he hastened to add 'until the swelling goes down, so I don't want you to worry, okay'

Hope looked at her dad, guilt rising at what she felt was her part in her dad's injury, and she swallowed hard. If her dad could be positive, so could she. She nodded in response wanting to keep things upbeat.

'And Liam, I found your little gift' Neal said as he opened his hand to reveal the pebble 'I know you don't lend this out to just anybody, so I promise to take good care of it'

Liam sat on the edge of the bed and Neal reached up to muss his hair, something Liam usually hated, but this time he smiled at his dad in response.

'Now, are you going to hog that cronut or are you going to let _me_ have it?' Neal asked as he grabbed playfully for the bag in his son's hand.

WCWCWC

The extended family had decided to take turns visiting so they wouldn't wear Neal down and by 8:00, Liam and Hope prepared to leave just as Peter and Elizabeth made an entrance. Neal was feeling weary from talking with the kids but he was anxious to chat with the Burkes, especially as it related to his newly recovered recollection of the face that had put him in this bed. He said goodnight to the kids, each of them pausing to kiss their dad, and sent them on their way asking them to make sure their mom got some sleep and didn't rush to get there in the morning.

He turned his attention to Peter and Elizabeth, forcing himself to smile – still on auto-pilot.

'Hey buddy' said Peter as he sat gingerly on the edge of the bed

El stood there with a gorgeous bouquet of spring flowers in her hand and smiled down at Neal. She began to poke around looking for something to put the bouquet in and she disappeared briefly into the bathroom to fill one of the hospital receptacles with water, leaving the men alone.

Neal let out a sigh as he took in the sight of his friend.

'I heard you guys had a busy day' he said

'Well, just trying to make ourselves useful until you could have visitors' Peter answered 'I guess 'How are you feeling?' is a bit trite, huh?' he added

Neal shrugged; Peter knew him well and would understand more than anyone else how he was feeling.

'Neal, don't think too far ahead okay? This whole paralysis thing, it could be over before you know it' he attempted although he feared Neal's mind was already spinning at the implications

'Or not' Neal answered, giving in to the negativity he'd been fighting

'You can't think like that - ' Peter began before Neal interrupted

'Kinda hard not to go there...' Neal admitted, looking defeated

'Look, it's the end of a long day. The best thing you can do is get a good night's sleep and try to get your bearings. Things will look brighter in the morning'

El reappeared with the flowers and placed them by his bedside with a flourish.

'They're beautiful' Neal said 'Thanks'

'I thought they might brighten up the place' she answered with a smile

Neal turned his attention back to Peter, suddenly remembering what he'd meant to tell him.

'Peter, I know the guy who did this. It's one of those Milville brothers. I looked him right in the eye' volunteered Neal, excited to be able to contribute to solving the case

'Which one?' Peter asked, remembering the duo all too well

'I'm not sure which one but if you bring in mug shots tomorrow, I'll be able to identify him' Neal said

'Okay. But for tonight, you need to get some sleep. I'll get to work with NYPD on finding out where the brothers are holed-up and we'll take it from there' said Peter as he tapped Neal gently on the shoulder.

Despite the gentleness of his touch, Neal winced at the pain in his chest and Peter retreated, standing to leave.

'We'll be back tomorrow' he said

'Thanks guys. For everything' Neal said as he sunk back down onto the bed

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Neal Caffrey had a restless night in his new digs as he dealt with both the steady, throbbing pain in the pit of his stomach and the ever surprising heaviness in his legs. Each time he tried to turn in the narrow bed, he was reminded that his hips and legs did not want to cooperate and he struggled with even the smallest of movements, regretfully having to call for help every time. Luckily(?), he had a urinary catheter for the time being but he was anxious to discuss a more dignified option for emptying out his bladder. He awkwardly grabbed for the pen and paper he'd been keeping by the bed and jotted down the new query. The list was getting long and he hoped he'd be getting satisfactory answers to all his questions when Dr. Miller returned.

After Peter and Elizabeth had left the night before, he'd had a short visit from his surgeon as she'd carried out her nightly rounds. Although Neal had bombarded her with questions, she had suggested they wait until the next morning so that Sara could be there with him to discuss the details relating to his condition. Neal had reluctantly agreed; he was more than anxious to hear about what to expect in the upcoming days and weeks.

He looked down at the tray of food that had been left for him; except for a few bites of cronut, he hadn't eaten much of anything since his surgery and although his stomach was grumbling, it was also unsettled, a definite deterrent to finding_ any _food appetizing. He forced himself to have a few bites of the lukewarm toast – if he was going to get better, he'd have to work at it and even Neal realized that that meant eating something to keep up his strength.

Neal thought of Sara – he hadn't been very considerate of her feelings the night before, pushing her away as he had. But he'd needed time on his own to come to terms with the stark reality of his situation and that meant not having to put on a mask and be the man she'd come to expect - the one who took everything in stride and could face any challenge life sent his way. He knew that Sara would always be there for him as he was for her but there were moments in life when one needed to be left alone to work things out – and this was definitely one of those times.

WCWCWC

'So, how bad is it?' asked Emily Ellis-Foster from her apartment in Chicago

Sara sat in her kitchen in White Plains, sipping on a cup of coffee, phone to her ear.

'Well, he's out of danger, thank God, but his recovery is going to take a while and you know Neal – he's not the most patient guy in the world when it comes to that kind of thing' she responded

'Did the doctor say how long it would take for the swelling to come down?' asked Emily

'We're meeting with her this morning so we should know more but from what she said yesterday, it could be a while' answered Sara as she ran her finger absent-mindedly around the rim of her coffee cup

'Do you need me to come down?' asked Emily

'No, no. We'll be fine. Peter and El are around and the kids are pretty self-sufficient...' she answered, her mind wandering to thoughts of what lay ahead

'...and there's June's funeral to think about but June's daughters have all that under control. They're insisting on waiting until Neal is well enough to be there and I know he'll want to keep his promise and give the eulogy' she added

'Well, call if there's anything I can do to help. I can be there in two hours – you do know that, right?' said Emily

Sara smiled; it was so nice to have her sister in her corner once again after all those years apart.

'Thanks sis. I'll keep you posted' she said before hanging up

She took a deep breath, grabbed her purse and instantly, she was out the door.

WCWCWC

Elizabeth Burke sat at her kitchen table, looking over paint samples. It seemed like such an innocuous thing to be doing when their best friend was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a serious injury and facing days and possibly weeks of recuperation. But short of sitting there worrying about Neal, all she could think to do was to get the gallery back on its feet so that he could return to something other than the mess he'd witnessed the last time he'd been there.

'Hey, honey' Peter called out as he came down the stairs

'Which one do you think for that accent wall upstairs: the 'violet stone' or the 'summer plum'? she asked knowing full well the answer she was going to get. She wasn't disappointed...

'Oh, honey. You're asking the wrong person' Peter said as he helped himself to a cup of coffee 'Why don't you run it by Hope?'

'I will...' she said her voice trailing 'Are you headed to the hospital?'

'No. I'm meeting with Cameron. He's rustling up art pieces from some of Neal's old students. He knows what Neal likes and he's going to help me choose some stuff. And then, I'm going to White Plains. Hope and I are going to go through the studio and pick some stuff of Neal's and hers to bring over to the gallery' he said, looking energized

'Are you stopping by the hospital afterwards?' she asked

'Yeah, do you want to meet up there after lunch? I know the doctor is going to meet with Neal and Sara this morning so he might want some company' said Peter 'Plus, I want to bring in those mug shots for Neal to look at so we can get moving on those arrests'

El looked up at her husband – 'take charge Peter Burke' and she shook her head and smiled.

WCWCWC

By nine o'clock on Friday morning, Sara Ellis was at Bellevue Hospital by her husband's side, determined not to dote on him; she knew how much he hated her hovering and although it was hard to control, she was bound and determined to try to give him the space he so desperately needed. She sat leafing mindlessly through a magazine while Neal sat up in bed, reading glasses on the tip of his nose, as he made notes for June's eulogy. His face was more relaxed than it had been when she'd first walked in an hour before, no doubt due to the fact that the pain meds the nurse had given him had finally kicked in. Sitting there, jotting things down on a pad she'd brought for him, he looked just as he did on any other day, focussed and calm and she hoped he would remain that way after Dr. Miller's visit.

Like her husband, Sara had been keeping a list of questions to ask the doctor – issues around day to day care, bodily functions and other issues anyone who is able-bodied didn't have to give a second thought to. Neal put down his pen and pad and let his head drop back on is pillow, looking done in. After what he'd been through, every little effort took a lot out of him.

'You okay?' Sara asked as she put down her magazine and stood by the bed

Neal opened his eyes and forced himself to smile at his wife.

'Fine' he said as he put out his arm, inviting her to lay by his side

They lay for a moment in comfortable silence, their bodies pressed firmly against one another as they sought comfort in each other's presence.

'We'll get through this, Neal' Sara finally said, her voice quiet

'I know' he responded, although not very convincingly

'I'll be with you every step of the way' she added as she let her hand linger on the top edge of his bandage, mindful not to touch his stomach

'I'm counting on it' Neal answered as he placed a kiss on her forehead

The moment was interrupted by Dr. Miller's arrival. Fortunately, she was alone this time – not like the night before when she'd shown up with six medical students in tow. Neal was finding it hard enough to discuss his predicament without having to do it with an audience of eager wannabe doctors listening in.

'Good morning!' she said as Sara jumped off the bed, looking embarrassed to be caught in a clinch with her husband

'Don't worry about it' added the doctor, kindly 'We encourage anything that'll help our patients heal as quickly as possible'

Sara took the chair next to the bed and sat up expectantly as they prepared to hear what Dr. Miller had to say.

'How's the pain, Neal?' she asked as she looked over his chart

'Manageable' he answered 'I look forward to the next round of meds when they start to fade...'

'Well, not only is your body recuperating from what we've done to it on the inside, you've got an entrance and an exit wound that need to heal as well. Give yourself time' she began

Neal nodded although waiting was not something he did easily or particularly well.

'So, I know you both have a lot of questions' she continued 'but I want to warn you not to think too far ahead' Dr. Miller warned

'How long will I have to stay in hospital?' Neal asked; his first order of business was getting back home as soon as possible.

'That depends on how fast you're healing – I would give it a good three to four days before we even start discussing that' she responded 'We want to make sure that you don't develop an infection. Without your spleen, you're more at risk of infections so we need to keep a close eye on things'

Neal looked on, disappointed. He couldn't get out of hospital soon enough even though he was the first to admit he was in no fit state to leave anytime soon.

'It's just that my... a close friend of mine passed away and I want... I need to be at the funeral' he said

'And when _is_ that?' asked Dr. Miller

Neal and Sara exchanged looks. She spoke first.

'Well, they're willing to wait for Neal to be well enough to attend' she said

'Let's talk about it in a couple of days, then' suggested Dr. Miller

'What about... everything... I mean, if I can't use my legs, how do I...' Neal said, having trouble formulating a question

'You're getting way ahead of yourself' said the kind doctor 'When you're ready to leave, we'll see where you're at and we can discuss all the implications of not having the use of your legs - '

Neal became agitated as he interrupted her mid-sentence.

'- because you don't think the swelling will go down before I leave the hospital?' he said, his voice anxious

'I know how hard it is not knowing - but none of us has a crystal ball. My best guess from the amount of pressure on your spinal cord is that you're looking at several weeks before you return to having full use of your legs again' she said matter of factly

'Several weeks?' Neal exclaimed, alarmed

'Your body has just gone through a major trauma and we're treating the swelling with medication, but it takes time for the body to recover. I'm afraid you're going to have to be patient' she explained

'But you're _sure_ this isn't permanent?' Neal asked, as he'd asked several times before

'There is _nothing_ to indicate that this is permanent – your spinal cord has not been damaged in any way, it is simply compressed from the constant pressure' she said authoritatively

Neal smiled politely; not the answers he was looking for and he felt Sara reach over and take his hand in hers.

'For now, all you can do is rest and let your body recover ... as difficult as that is. I'll check in on you again tomorrow and we'll talk some more then, okay?' Dr. Miller said, abruptly bringing the discussion to an end

Neal and Sara exchanged looks – all their questions seemed premature and the doctor didn't appear to want to entertain them before the time was right. She exited as quickly as she'd arrived, leaving Neal to pretend to drift off to sleep and Sara to pretend to return to her magazine.

TBC


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

The following days flowed seamlessly into one another with Neal sleeping a lot of the time and sporadic visits from his extended family, including members of the Ellington clan. The pain in his abdomen was beginning to recede, ever so slowly, as his wounds began to heal under the watchful eye of the medical team. It was beginning to look like Neal would be released from hospital by the middle of the coming week and June's funeral was set for the following Saturday, a little over a week following her death. Whenever he was awake, he read or sat making notes for the eulogy, preparing for the ceremony which he was looking forward to and dreading in equal measures. The second piece of paper on Neal's bedside table, next to the many cards from well-wishers, was the very long list of questions he had for Dr. Miller before his release. Since progress was slow but steady, she had asked him to hold his questions until the day before he left hospital so he wouldn't be fretting about things that would never come to pass.

On Sunday morning, Neal met Clive Bessett for the first time. Clive was a young African-American man of twenty seven, recently graduated from the physiotherapy program at New York University. Neal liked him almost immediately - although the young man was quiet and unassuming, he seemed to know when to push and when to back off, something Neal would discover was very beneficial in Clive's line of work. The first couple of days of physio consisted of Clive forcibly moving Neal's legs up and down, bending and straightening his knees and rotating his hips as he lay in his hospital bed. Neal found the whole experience rather humiliating but was taking it all in stride. He knew that if he didn't keep his leg muscles moving they would become atrophied and he would have a hell of a time when he tried to use them again – something which he hoped would be in the very near future.

On Tuesday morning, at Neal's insistence, Dr. Miller agreed to have his urinary catheter removed to see how he would manage with bladder control. This had been one of Neal's pet peeves since his first day in hospital; he hated the indignity of seeing his pee accumulate in the plastic bag and he looked forward to a more dignified way of emptying his bladder. At first, as he lay or sat in bed, Neal made use of a portable urinal, a most inelegant yet useful apparatus. He had begun to regain some sensation in that regard and if he didn't wait too long to pee, he was able to control the ebb and flow, something Dr. Miller had qualified as a success. He looked forward to using the toilet and the doctor began talking about having him shift his weight onto his legs long enough for him to transfer to a wheelchair – which was a step in that direction.

The first time the hideous piece of junk – as Neal would later refer to it – made an appearance in his hospital room, Neal felt totally dejected. From day one, he'd held out hope that he would walk out of the hospital under his own steam but with twenty four hours before his departure, it was becoming clear that he would need the set of wheels to get around – at least for a little while. Neal resisted the notion for as long as he could but what he wanted even more than to _walk out_ of the hospital was to _leave _the hospital and at this point, he couldn't wait to get home to his family and this new version of his life.

WCWCWC

Back in White Plains, unbeknownst to Neal, the first floor of his house was undergoing some subtle transformations under Sara's watchful eye. The first floor bathroom, which consisted of a toilet and shower stall, had been temporarily equipped with medical aids so that Neal could go about the business of his personal care in safety. Support bars were installed on either side of the toilet so he could stand to pee and the stall was equipped with a plastic chair that Neal could sit on in order to shower.

Sara watched as Liam and Peter came down carrying the bedside table from Neal and Sara's room and made their way towards the kitchen, lugging the piece of furniture. Neal was notorious for keeping everything but the kitchen sink in his bedside table and she thought it might make the transition easier for him if he could turn over and reach out for god knows what he kept in there.

'Where do you want it?' asked Peter as Sara made room by the hideaway bed in the family room

'Right there' she said, pointing to the space she'd managed to free up

They could hear hammering out at the front of the house as the workmen completed the small ramp outside the front door to 4788 Meadowbrook Street. It was a small step up from the front porch into the house but it would be a pain in the ass to navigate and Sara was anxious for Neal to have as few obstacles as possible when he finally got home. She knew he'd be impatient to carry on with as little fuss as possible and the last thing he needed was those little frustrations that she knew would drive him right around the bend.

Peter and Liam set the table down by the couch and looked around. Sara had uncluttered the space of all the kids' things – Hope's art stuff, Liam's school stuff, trying to make the space a calm haven for what was to become, for all intents and purposes, their bedroom for the next little while.

Having to sleep in the middle of Caffrey central was not going to be ideal but, for now at least, stairs were out and they would have to make do.

'Anything else I can do before I head over to the gallery?' Peter asked as he looked around

'No... I think that's it' Sara said, her voice apprehensive

Peter walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.

'It'll be fine, you'll see' he said by way of encouragement

Sara shrugged and gave him a weak smile in response. It was far from fine but there was no way around the present situation and everyone, including Neal, would just have to make the best of it until things went back to normal.

She walked Peter to the door, thanking him again and he manoeuvred himself around the workmen while Sara made her way back to the kitchen, spying Liam making himself a PB&amp;J sandwich.

'Peanut butter and jam for your birthday lunch, huh?' she said as she walked over and put an arm around her son

He was taller than she was now and she wondered in passing when exactly he had surpassed her in height. At thirteen, he was almost as tall as his dad and although he was 'all Sara' in his coloring, she could see shades of Neal in his lankiness and the way he carried himself.

'It's no big deal, Mom' he said, licking his fingers 'Like I said, I'd rather wait for all of us to be together for my birthday dinner'

'So, what time is uncle Mozzie picking you up for the game?' she asked

'Early, he wants to take me out for dinner first' he responded

Sara looked at her son with delight; he was turning into a young man before her very eyes and she was proud of his positive, cheery outlook on life, so like his dad's.

'Well, I'm headed to the hospital. Have a good time – Go Rangers!' she said as she kissed her son goodbye

WCWCWC

Neal's brow glistened with sweat as he cursed; when had moving his legs up and down a few times become such a workout, he wondered.

'Great job, Neal. I think that's enough for now' said Clive as he gently placed Neal's left leg back down on the bed

'I can... do more' Neal said, his breath quick and uneven from the effort he'd just exerted

If he was going to leave the hospital the next day, he needed to step it up.

'You're good' insisted Clive, bringing the session to an end

'SHIT!' Neal let out as he felt the unfamiliar trickle of pee run down the side of his hip

'It's okay. It happens sometimes when you push yourself' the physio said as he pulled back the sheet to survey the damage 'I'll send the nurse in. Don't worry about it; you're doing great'

The few minutes he waited for the nurse to come and rescue him seemed to last for hours as he lay there exposed in a puddle of urine.

'Hey there, Neal!' Terry finally chirped as she arrived with a flourish

Over the past week in hospital, he'd had many nurses but she'd been one of his favorites – a no nonsense woman in her late fifties who didn't suffer fools gladly and knew her job inside and out.

'Maybe it was a mistake asking Dr. Miller to let you take the catheter out' he said grudgingly

'It wasn't a mistake. You just need to get used to that feeling just before you need to go. Accidents happen when you overexert yourself' she said matter of factly as she began removing the top sheet from the bed

'Perfect chance to try your new wheels' she added as she began to lift his gown and proceed to wash him – there

Neal cringed as he watched her place the warm cloth on his genitals and his instinct was to grab the washcloth from her hand and do it himself but Terry just shooed him away.

'We're going to practice putting some weight on your legs while you transfer to the chair' she said as she pressed the call button to summon one of her colleagues

Neal glanced nervously at the ugly contraption.

'I know, you hate it already, right?' said Terry 'But you'll see, she'll become your friend, eventually. I think you should name her – you know, kill her with kindness' she said in jest

Within moments, a second nurse arrived – a younger, prettier one – and Neal grimaced at the humiliation of having a pretty young thing see him in this less than impressive state. Years ago, he would have simply flashed his Caffreyesque smile and totally charmed her but even _he_ couldn't pull that off with pee dripping off him as it was.

Terry unceremoniously slipped Neal's legs off the bed, letting them hang there for a moment. He looked down, feeling dispossessed of his limbs, not feeling his feet and having limited sensation in his hips; suddenly his lower body looked like it belonged to someone else - not a part of his core being - and it was the most perplexing and curious of sensations.

'Now' Terry instructed in her no-nonsense way (was that Sara's voice?) 'Let us support you while you put some weight on your legs'

Neal became tense and after years of standing up at whim, without giving it a second thought, the thought of pulling himself to his feet became overwhelming and he hesitated, afraid of not being equal to the task.

'Come on' she insisted 'The chair is right there. Just stand for two seconds and we'll settle you back down in it'

Neal took a deep breath and willed himself to stand, pushing with more strength than he even knew he had. He grunted as he made the effort to stand, his legs shaking but nevertheless able to support his weight as he leaned on Terry and her colleague for support; he let out an audible sigh as he let himself fall into the chair, a small but smug smile on his lips. He was oblivious to the fact that he had a spectator nearby.

Sara watched in silence from the door to the hospital room; this was Neal, her strong, sexy husband and yet she felt like she was spying on a total stranger. She covered her mouth, holding back the gasp that tried to escape her lips as she witnessed Neal's struggle. It was going to be a long, slow road to recovery and she was suddenly terrified of what lay ahead.

TBC


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Neal devoured the last few bites of the pork and Chinese broccoli Sara had brought over from the Full Moon, their local Thai restaurant, and he let out a satisfied sigh. His appetite was improving, another sure sign his body was starting to heal.

'Thanks for that' he said as he looked over at his wife who was still working on hers

'It was dried out sole, canned wax beans and powdered mashed potato night – again' he said as he pointed to the hospital menu nearby

'_Anything_ for you' she answered with a flirty smile

'What time did Dr. Miller say she'd be by?' she asked

'It's never the same; it depends on her surgery schedule' answered Neal as he grabbed for his list of questions

Although she'd been watching him work on the list for the better part of a week, Sara had refrained from being too nosy; she reached over and grabbed a piece of paper from her purse, taking it out with a flourish.

'I'll show you mine if you show me yours' she said with a laugh

'Alright, let's compare notes' he agreed as he ran his finger down the long list 'You first'

'Toilet' she started

'Well, now that I don't have a catheter, we don't need to worry as much about that. I've been practicing getting into the chair – I can practically use the bathroom by myself' Neal said rather proudly

'Those support bars have been installed in the downstairs bathroom so you can hold on to them while you do your thing' she added

'Bathing' Neal countered

'Well, you'll definitely need some help...' she acknowledged

Neal just ignored her and returned to his list, obviously deep in thought.

'Work' Sara said

'I want to go back as soon as possible...' Neal began

'Let's see what Dr. Miller says about that, okay?' she said as she patted his hand

'The car...' added Neal

There was so much to everyday life that was a mystery now that he had to temporarily navigate it in a wheelchair. Sara looked sympathetically at her husband; she had no answer to his question for the time being. She hesitated for a moment then pointed to an item on her list.

'Sex' she said, finally

Neal looked at her, his eyes wide.

'I didn't even _have_ that on my list' he admitted

'And usually, it's at the _top _of your list' Sara countered, hoping to make him laugh

What she got instead was a faraway look in Neal's eyes as he obviously pondered the issue. He was having trouble controlling his bladder – how could he possibly hope to have sex with his wife in any meaningful way. He seemed to push away the idea as he moved on to the next item on his list.

'Follow up appointments, pain medication, prognosis...' he said, his voice trailing '... the list goes on and on and on'

Sara put down the piece of paper she'd been holding in her hand and she moved in closer, sitting on the edge of the bed. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all. She took Neal's face in her hands, rubbing his temples with her thumbs and forcing his eyes to meet hers.

'Neal, we can do this - if we stick together. Let's take it one day at a time, okay?' she said as she stared lovingly into his baby blues

He kept his eyes fixated on hers, seeing the love and compassion there, hating the thought of her having to act as his caregiver in any way - she was his lover, his life mate, his wife, not his nurse. As if to reassure him on that score, she leaned in and placed a warm, lingering kiss on his lips – the first meaningful kiss she'd given him since she'd boarded the plane that day, ages ago. Her lips were soft and warm and so very comforting. He felt an unmistakeable stirring in the pit of his stomach, although not the usual telltale sign that his body was responding to hers - as it always did when she did that amazing thing she'd just done with her tongue. He wondered if he was getting what he hoped he was getting and curiosity got the better of him as he let his hand glide down his body to check for himself, feeling the familiar swelling under his hand and smiling in response.

'Well, maybe, sex...' he said as he returned the kiss

'That's two for two' they heard from the doorway as they pulled apart to find Dr. Miller standing there

'If I had any doubt that you were ready to leave the hospital, it's all but dissipated now' she said in jest as she came in and sat in the chair by the bed

'Now, you've been very patient with all your questions and it's time I give you the best answers I can' she said as she put down the clipboard she'd walked in with 'So, shoot!'

Neal took a deep breath before plunging ahead with the multitude of questions which had been running through his brain for the past week.

'Hum, toilet' he said

'How are you doing without the catheter?' she asked 'Have you been able to anticipate when you need to urinate?'

'Well, I...' Neal hesitated 'I had an accident at the end of physio today' he admitted, looking over to see Sara's reaction only to see her looking cool and collected

'That happens and it'll probably happen again. The sensation isn't quite like before, is it?' she asked

Neal shook his head.

'So you have to listen carefully to your body and go the bathroom regularly whether you feel the urge to or not just so things don't get out of control. As far as bowel movements, are you fairly regular?' she asked

Neal nodded. 'Yeah, mornings usually' he said

'Well, try to anticipate and give yourself lots of time in the bathroom. You know, Neal, there's nothing wrong with wearing a liner if you're worried about accidents' she offered as he cringed in response

'Do I need to keep taking the pain medication?' he asked moving on to a slightly more comfortable subject

'You'll definitely feel it if you stop now; your body is still healing and you need the relief if you want to be able to function' she answered

'Home support?' Sara asked

'Clive can visit you at home and he'll show you exercises you can help Neal with' she responded, looking at Sara

She turned to Neal before continuing. 'I can also get you some help with bathing and other personal care'

'No' Sara responded firmly 'I can do that'

Neal looked at his wife – he didn't want her in a caregiver role but he was thankful that she would be there to help him nonetheless. He reminded himself that there were worse things in life than having a gorgeous redhead scrub your back.

'What about sex?' Neal asked. Ever since Sara had given him that spectacular kiss, the notion had been kicking around his brain... and his loins

'Well, there's no counter indication but...' she hesitated '...you don't want to put any undue pressure on yourself to 'perform'. You might need some help to get an erection or to keep it so don't be surprised if your body doesn't respond the way it usually does. The inflammation is on one of your lumbar vertebrae and it's blocking some of the messages coming from your brain so some of the stuff that usually turns you on – an image, a thought, a whisper – well, it might not be enough, but with a little direct physical stimulation, you can certainly _get_ an erection. It just might not last as long as you're used to. Just... experiment. I have a feeling you two have a long history together, so just be patient and enjoy each other without putting any pressure on yourselves for conventional intercourse at all costs' she concluded

Neal let out a sigh of relief; depending on how long his situation lasted, he hated to think he would have to forego sexual intimacy with Sara.

'What about check-ups?' he asked, moving on

WCWCWC

Cameron came down the stairs carrying another pile of Neal's clothes and set about putting them away in one of the many plastic containers Sara had brought in for this very purpose.

'Do you think that's enough stuff?' he asked Hope as she stood nearby doing the same

'We can always run up and get whatever he needs' she responded 'I just want him to have some clothes nearby if he wants to change'

'You know your dad, he'll probably want to come to the gallery first thing tomorrow' said Cam

'Ah, and you know my mom' she countered 'He'll have to get by _her_ first'

'Well, at least the place is looking clean and orderly' he answered 'It is a little empty though'

'It'll take time but I know my dad would rather have a couple dozen quality pieces on the walls than six dozen mediocre things. We'll build up our stock again. Oh, what time is our meeting with Annie Stuart?' she asked

'Seven. We better get going; she said she was bringing five paintings with her' he said

'That'll be great. I know Dad really loves her stuff' she countered 'Does she do consignment?'

'Yeah, she does' answered Cameron as he stopped what he was doing and grabbed Hope by the waist, pulling her in to him

'Oh, Cam. I'm so relieved Dad's coming home!' she said as he proceeded to start nibbling on her ear

'Mmmm' he answered not bothering to take his lips away from her neck

'Cam. Cam! We gotta go' she said, pulling out of his grasp

He groaned and followed her out the door.

WCWCWC

Twenty five minutes after she'd arrived, Dr. Miller had managed to answer most of the questions on both Neal and Sara's lists to the best of her ability. She'd been very generous with her time and cautiously optimistic, reminding Neal that she was looking forward to seeing him at his first check-up the following Tuesday. They were to call his case coordinator if anything of concern came up in the meantime. She wished them both well and she left the Caffreys alone, off to continue with her rounds.

'So, home...' Sara said with a sigh

'Yeah, home' Neal said just as wistfully

As anxious as he was to get on with the next phase of his new life, he knew it would be fraught with uncertainty and new challenges and he smiled nervously at his wife at that realization.

WCWCWC

'What do you think? Stuffed pork or Cornish hens?' Elizabeth asked as she pored over her menu at the kitchen island

'Whatever you make, Neal will love it' Peter responded from the nearby living room

'It's his first night home from the hospital; I want to make it special' El whined

'Honey, Neal loves your cooking – no matter what it is' Peter tried again

'Oh my God!' she screamed

'What?' Peter answered, startled

'The steps!' she exclaimed

'Mozzie and I have it all worked out. We'll bring him in from the back. I already talked to the neighbors about letting us cut through their back yard' Peter said triumphantly

'Mr. Morris agreed to let you cut through his back yard?' she asked, surprised

The curmudgeonny old neighbor had been a thorn in their side for as many years as they'd lived in their house but even he had a heart, it seemed.

'You forget that Mrs. Morris was in a wheelchair for seven years before she died. I just appealed to his compassionate side...' he said as he made his way to where his wife stood

He snaked his arms around her waist, smiling a satisfied smile at his ability to negotiate a truce with the horrible man after all these years.

'... and he was in the army. I may have insinuated that... Neal was a ... well a... a war hero' he admitted as El turned in his arms and gave him a good natured slap on the arm

'Why Peter Burke, you lying, conniving son of...' she began before a smile broke out on her face 'Good job, honey'

TBC


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Neal strained to hear Liam's voice over the roaring crowd.

'So, how's the game?' he asked

'Ottawa's on fire!' Liam screamed on the other end of the phone 'We're down three goals'

'Oh, no!' Neal responded

He could hear the excitement in Liam's voice; his son loved it when he got to go to Madison Square Garden and watch a hockey game live.

'Well, tell the Rangers I said to get with the program' Neal yelled back as Sara looked on puzzled at the loud voice

Neal gave her the old shoulder shrug. 'Well, happy birthday buddy!' Neal concluded, his voice returning to normal

'Thanks for the tickets Dad' Liam answered before signing off

Neal gave the phone back to Sara and resumed the sullen look he'd had before he made the call. He hated the fact that he couldn't share this night with Liam although there was absolutely no way his absence could have been avoided.

'He understands, you know' Sara said as she took her spot on the edge of the bed

'Maybe _he_ understands but ... I don't' answered Neal, like a petulant child

Sara decided it was time to break the mood.

'Hey, cheer up. You're coming home tomorrow' she said as she stood to continue the job she'd started of tidying up Neal's hospital room. After a week of visits, gifts and cards, there was a lot to pack up for the trip home. She looked at the card from a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers and turned to her husband.

'You didn't tell me Lydia and Sam came by' she said, hoping to get Neal focussed on something more positive

'Yeah, yesterday while you were out. They brought Bea' he added as a small smile appeared on his face

'How did they ever keep her from running around this place?' she asked, laughing

'They didn't' Neal conceded 'The nurses thought she was the cutest thing. But she did sit for a little while, right here' he said, pointing to the spot to his right '...and I read her a book Lydia brought'

'She is something else, isn't she' Sara admitted, thinking fondly of their goddaughter

'So, what's the transport situation for tomorrow?' Neal asked, turning his thoughts to his long-awaited return home

'Well, Liam and Hope both want to come so I got them out of school for the morning. By the looks of things, I'm going to need both of them to cart all these flowers and gifts out of here...'

'Why don't we leave the flowers at the nurses' station? They deserve it after putting up with me for a whole week' Neal suggested

'Sure, sounds good. I thought it might be easier for you to get into the SUV than the car' she continued, referring to the family's two vehicles

Neal nodded his approval.

'Dr. Miller said you didn't need any special transport' Sara added, noticing Neal was looking tuckered out

'You ready for bed?' she asked

'Yeah, I just need to go to the bathroom first' he mumbled as Sara pointed to the portable urinal nearby

'No' Neal answered adamantly 'I can get one of the nurses to take me over'

Sara looked at her husband, his false pride firmly in place.

'Neal, this is our life for the next little while. Let me help you' she said firmly

Neal let out a resigned sigh and struggled to sit up, the pain in his stomach flaring up – obviously in need of his next dose of pain medication before he settled in for the night. Sara stood by and waited patiently for him to let her know what she could do to help, holding back from reacting _too_ quickly. She brought the wheelchair closer at Neal's request and she held one of his arms as he struggled to stand for a few seconds while he positioned himself in front of the chair.

Although the bathroom was a mere ten feet away, it might as well have been ten miles and Neal was far from being able to manage the trip on his own two legs. He let his weight fall into the chair and snarled at Sara when she tried to push it towards the bathroom; he was adamant that he could roll himself over which he did, to Sara's regret, arriving in the bathroom with sweat on his brow from the effort. Once there, he reluctantly allowed her to help him to his feet and he stood, shaky, holding the bar with one hand and doing his business with the other while Sara turned to give him a modicum of privacy. The return trip was just as tedious and Neal fell into bed exhausted from the outing – exhausted _and_ exasperated.

Sara didn't have a clue what she could say or do to keep his spirits up so she didn't even try; Neal hated this kind of attention so she just took a moment to say goodnight, reminding him that she would be there bright and early to bring him home.

Neal settled in for his last night in hospital and slept the fitful sleep of the hospitalized one last time.

WCWCWC

The trip home was uneventful, Sara having nixed the kids' plans to make a big deal of the homecoming. They had wanted to put up a banner and make it a bit of a celebration but, in his present state of mind, Sara knew that Neal would hate that, so things had been kept simple with a nice family lunch before the kids were ordered back to school for the afternoon.

Neal's favorite armchair had been moved to a spot where he could see the goings on in both the kitchen and family room and he could have an unfettered sightline to the front door to see any new arrivals. Sara had settled a small table nearby with everything he might need so he didn't have to ask each time, something Neal seemed to appreciate; he hated the thought of being catered to and having to ask for every little thing.

Sara had been off work since the middle of the previous week and she was preparing to ask for more time off despite the fact that Neal had tried to convince her that he would be fine alone during the day. That was an absolute no-starter as far as Sara was concerned; one slip and he could break an arm or a leg – or heaven forbid, hit his head – and things would be even worse. She had to find a way to be there without it being perceived as coddling or hovering and she'd finally decided to work from home on her presentations for her mentoring program. If all went well with Neal, she was scheduled to go to Dallas in late June and to Boston in July to present her concept to a couple of large insurance companies that were hoping to set up a similar program.

Neal napped in the afternoon, Sara pulling open the hide-a-bed – for the next little while the conjugal bed – and she realized that it would have to stay open most of the time so Neal could rest when he needed to which was still a regular occurrence during the day. He made some noises about going to the gallery but Sara put the kibosh on that rather quickly – Neal had known it was a long shot but worth a try. Sara surprised him by slipping into bed with him and he couldn't hide his delight at falling asleep with his wife nearby after a much too long hiatus. Raffie joined in, lying at their feet; although Neal had some control over keeping the dog off their bed upstairs, it would be difficult to keep him from his usual haunt down on the first floor. He found a comfortable spot between Neal and Sara's feet and settled in, happy to have his master home.

They had deferred the decision as to whether or not to venture out to Brooklyn for dinner until after Neal's nap and he woke, feeling refreshed, laying prone on his back while Sara continued to snore gently beside him. He realized that, although his adaptation was by far the more dramatic one, she was also having to put up with a lot of changes in their everyday life and, knowing Sara, a lot of worry as well. He struggled to turn in the bed, moving his lead legs awkwardly and watched her sleep. Her face was tight, tiny lines firmly etched in her forehead as they always were when she was worried about something. He ran his hand gently down her cheek, pushing away a stray strand of hair to admire her face; Sara's beautiful face, so full of life. She'd been there through thick and thin and although they might have had a bit more excitement in their lives than the average couple - due to their respective lines of work - they'd mostly had a settled life, just being married and raising two great kids together. Neal wouldn't have wanted it any other way. She stirred to his touch and opened her eyes, surprised to see him facing her on the bed.

'Hey sleepy head' he said with a soft smile

'Was I drooling again?' she asked, curious at the look on his face

He laughed softly. 'Just a little' he admitted as he wiped the corner of her mouth

'How did you sleep?' she asked

'Fine but... I need to pee and I don't know if I'll make it in time' he admitted, suddenly sensing what was becoming a more familiar tightness in the pit of his stomach

Sara sprang to her feet to help him and Neal cringed at the mood-breaker he'd just had to pull; so much for a lovely private moment with your wife after ten days apart.

WCWCWC

Neal insisted that they go to the Burkes for dinner as planned. He was looking forward to getting out even though he knew he'd be exhausted after the fact. Doing something 'normal' had undeniable appeal plus, as much as he loved his wife, her cooking could never compare to Elizabeth Burke's, a fact Sara would be the first to admit.

The drive over the bridge went off without a hitch, with Neal cringing at his wife's driving manoeuvres; she was the worst driver he'd ever known and he always played the role of designated driver whenever they were out somewhere together. He hoped in passing that Liam might inherit the Caffrey driving genes because the two women in the family were equal menaces on the road. He was surprised to see Sara drive a few blocks around the Burke home as he finally clued in that the steps up to the house were a definite deterrent to him making it inside to El's Cornish hens. He gave himself a mental head slap – how come he hadn't thought of _that_ before - there was a time when every little detail of an operation would have come under careful scrutiny and he grudgingly blamed the meds for the fact that he hadn't clued in about how he was going to make it into the house.

Peter and Mozzie were waiting in front of a non-descript house over on McLaren Street with an elderly man standing nearby.

'Hey buddy!' Peter called out as the door to the Santa Fe opened and Neal began to swing his legs out

'So, I get the VIP treatment tonight' Neal joked, trying to make light of the situation

Mozzie appeared from the back of the vehicle, pushing the wheelchair as Peter supported Neal's weight and placed his best friend in the waiting chair.

'Yup, we're going in the back way tonight' Peter declared as he made sure Neal was settled

The old man, who was ninety if a day, took a few wobbly steps over towards the trio of men as Sara drove off, the car making a jerking motion as it disappeared down the street.

'Let me shake your hand' said old Mr. Morris, his voice shaky

Neal looked between Peter and the old man, unsure what he was talking about yet knowing he was somehow expected to play along.

'I want to thank you for your service to our country' he continued, taking Neal's hand and shaking it enthusiastically

Mozzie and Peter exchanged looks as they waited for Neal's response.

'Thank you' Neal said without missing a beat 'Just doing my duty as an American'

You could take the man out of the con but you could never quite take the con out of the man, it seemed.

WCWCWC

Dinner was nice; just the Burkes and the Caffreys reconnecting after too much time apart. Mozzie, as honorary Caffrey, had arranged for a friendly game of Yahtzee, one of the few games he couldn't easily cheat at, and everyone had a great time just being together, great food and laughter being the order of the day.

Peter filled Neal in on the investigation; the Milvilles had been charged and sometime down the line, Neal and Hope would be called on to testify but for now, they were being held in custody, based on some footage from a neighboring gallery which had a camera installed in the alley behind the Raphael.

Neal made plans to visit the gallery the next day and the Caffrey family finally drove away with the patriarch fitfully snoozing in the front passenger seat, exhausted from his first day home and thankfully oblivious to Sara Ellis' dubious driving talent as he snored blissfully.

TBC


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Thursday morning, Neal woke disoriented in the middle of the family room; it was definitely going to take some getting used to, having to sleep in the nerve centre of their house.

'Hi Dad' Hope called out from a few feet away as she sat in front of a bowl of cereal

Neal looked up, confused, noticing Sara still sound asleep beside him.

As always these days, his mind turned immediately to his bodily functions – the thought of having a mishap terrified him and he was constantly going back and forth to the toilet to avoid an unfortunate repeat of what had happened at the hospital two days before. He weighed his options: waking Sara or seeking help from his daughter – either way, one thing was for certain, he needed some help to transfer into his chair and to stand up again once he reached the bathroom. He grimaced at the choice before him and swallowed his pride.

'Honey, do you think you can give me a hand getting into my chair?' he asked, embarrassed – had he really just called it _his_ chair?

'Of course' she said, standing immediately to make her way over to the family room

By the time she'd reached the chair, Neal's legs were already over the edge of the bed; he was getting good at lifting the dead weight off the bed and manoeuvring himself into a sitting position.

'Just tell me what I need to do' Hope added as she stood at the ready

Sara stirred in the bed, groggy, aware that there was activity next to her and seeing that Neal needed help, she sat up like a shot.

_Great, Neal thought, now I've disturbed both of them when all I really want is to just do this by myself. Who else has to make a public announcement when they have to take a whizz?_

'Sara, it's fine. Go back to sleep' Neal said, his tone impatient, as he looked at his daughter and pointed to the chair

Hope brought the contraption over and locked the wheels, ready to assist in any way she could. Neal put his arm out, instructing her to help support his weight while he struggled to his feet, his legs unsteady. He managed to let himself fall into the chair, rather inelegantly, and before he could decline, Hope began to push him towards the bathroom at the front of the house.

Ah, the indignity, Neal thought as he swallowed his pride once more.

WCWCWC

Peter walked into the Raphael Gallery and took a quick look around the newly decorated space. Within a week, the team had managed to clean up and redecorate the place and it looked even better than it had on the day it had opened, over a year before. He hoped that Neal would like the new color scheme – personally, he knew nothing about this sort of thing but El and Hope had worked together to come up with the new colors and both women knew Neal Caffrey and his tastes pretty well. Peter was hopeful his partner would be pleased with the results; one way or another, he was about to find out since Neal was scheduled to drop by for a visit sometime during the day.

Peter put on a smile and made his way to put the 'open' sign up in the window and start what he hoped would be a successful day.

WCWCWC

Neal sat in the middle of his house feeling totally useless. Here he was in his own home, on strict orders from his wife to wait for her return before exerting himself and doing anything in the kitchen. He let out an indignant puff of air and wheeled himself over to the kitchen counter to get some coffee on. He wanted coffee and he should damn well be able to make himself a cup in his own house, he huffed to himself.

Sara had driven the kids to school after reminding Neal that Clive was scheduled to pay a visit sometime before noon. Although Clive would be visiting three times a week, Neal needed to work out _every_ day and the young physiotherapist was primed to go through Neal's regimen with Sara so that she could take her husband through his paces on a daily basis.

Neal cringed at the thought of Sara having to exercise his legs as if he were an invalid; he began to assemble what he needed to put some coffee on, making his way to the refrigerator for the tin of Italian Roast and the container of Half and Half. He turned towards the counter, reaching awkwardly for the empty pot and, with difficulty, he managed to turn his chair around to face the sink and fill it with water, finally retracing his movements to return to the small appliance. Making coffee had never seemed this complicated before and Neal cursed under his breath as he missed the mark, spilling some water on the counter. After a few clumsy manoeuvres, he finally turned on the coffee maker, hearing its familiar gurgling sound and within moments, the wonderful aroma began to permeate the air.

Neal let out a long sigh; at least, he was still good for something it seemed. His confidence had taken a major hit since the shooting and more than anything, he needed to prove to himself that he could carry out such mundane tasks as coffee making. He glanced up at the upper kitchen cabinets, realizing the cups were out of reach. No problem, he thought, as he grabbed a solid hold of the arms of his chair intent on standing for a second, just long enough to grab a couple of coffee mugs. With support from the kitchen counter, Neal managed to get to his feet and in one swift motion he opened the cupboard door, pulling out a mug to place on the counter in front of him. His mission accomplished, he reached back to settle himself down feeling the chair shift behind him just as he realized with horror that he'd forgotten to put the brakes on.

The chair moved from under him, its usual support disappearing as Neal lost his footing, feeling himself fall sideways in slow motion totally unable to avoid an impending tumble onto the kitchen floor. The chair, which he'd managed to clumsily grab hold of, came plummeting down over top of him as he simultaneously heard the unfortunate sound of the empty mug he'd been holding crash to the ground breaking in a million pieces.

Neal began to get his bearings, realizing what had happened and, as if his ungainly collapse hadn't been enough, he suddenly felt a familiar trickle and looked down, noticing he was emptying his bladder on the kitchen floor.

Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse...

WCWCWC

'You're bright and early!' Sara called out as she stepped out of the car and greeted Clive Bessett

The young man had just pulled up in front of the house and was busy taking out a few pieces of equipment from the small hatchback he'd driven up in.

'I've got a few appointments today so I thought I'd get Neal settled first thing. You ready for a crash course in physiotherapy?' he asked

'Ready and willing' answered Sara with a salute as she led the way to the front door

She was greeted by the wonderful aroma of coffee as she opened the door but before she could register that she shouldn't be smelling anything at all, she called out to her husband, broadcasting the arrival of their visitor.

'Neal, we've got company!' she called out as she held the door open for Clive

Within seconds, she spotted Neal on the kitchen floor, the wheelchair still on top of him as he struggled to push it away.

'Neal!' she screamed as she ran to his side

'I'm fine, I'm fine!' he was saying in a pre-emptive attempt at keeping her from freaking out

His arm was sore but as far as he could tell, he wasn't injured in any way although his pride was taking a mighty tumble. He realized with dismay that Clive was following behind his wife, rushing to his aid as Neal tried to downplay the incident.

'It was just a stupid accident. I forgot to put the brakes on the chair and I...' he began sheepishly

'Let me check you out before you move' said Clive calmly as he kneeled by his patient to survey the damage

Sara stood nearby, her hand covering her mouth as she waited for Clive's verdict. The young man removed the chair, setting it upright and began to examine Neal, to the older man's dismay. Neal looked more pissed off than hurt and Sara took some solace in that, hoping that her husband's pride would be the only casualty of this unfortunate incident.

Within moments, Clive declared that there was no serious injury and he set about getting Neal back in his chair. Sara looked on with concern, wondering what she would have done if Clive hadn't happened along when he did. Would she have been able to get Neal back up off the floor? The thought terrified her. The young man carried out the task of lifting Neal and putting him back in his chair with confidence and aplomb, something Sara knew she would never have been able to do on her own.

Neal sat up in the wheelchair, recuperating from his spill, rubbing his sore arm and unable to make eye contact with his wife. He stared at the front of his pajama bottoms which were soaked and if his pride had let him, he probably would have burst out crying. Instead, he stared straight ahead, weathering the moment with the tiny shred of dignity he still had left.

She'd been right, dammit, he shouldn't have tried to carry out the herculean task of making coffee by himself.

He hated this, absolutely hated it and right now he was angry at the world!

WCWCWC

Neal sulked for most of the day until Sara suggested they take a road trip to Manhattan to pay a visit to the gallery. To Sara's credit, she had refrained from reading him the riot act following his little misadventure but somehow, that had made things even worse for Neal. He would have preferred to have a good old fashioned, drag 'em out fight with his fiery wife than to have her be 'considerate and understanding Sara', someone he wasn't sure _how_ to deal with.

Even in this, she was treating him differently and he absolutely hated that; he goaded her most of the day, hoping to bring out the Sara Ellis he knew and loved – that, at least, he could cope with. But Sara held strong, not wanting to add to Neal's misery and she swallowed her anger on more than one occasion as she reminded herself of what her husband must be going through.

They sat in the car, ignoring the elephant in the room and Neal finally piped up, commenting on a less than ideal driving manoeuvre – something he would normally just chalk up to Sara being Sara – finally setting off the fireworks he'd been toying with lighting all day.

'Neal! That's enough!' she yelled seemingly out of the blue

Neal looked at her, noting her face was red, the veins in her neck sticking out as she totally lost it.

'You've been a pain in the ass all day and I've had enough!' she said, her voice loud

'Careful!' Neal screamed as she almost rear-ended the car in front of them

Sara clumsily pulled the car over to the side of the road, turning towards her husband, her eyes alight, practically shooting daggers at him.

'I'm trying Neal. I really am. I know this is horrible for you and I know you hate asking for help but this is the card we've been dealt and we're just going to have to make the best of it' she spat out, her voice angry and reproachful

Neal sat, shocked at Sara's reaction, yet secretly reassured to see the fire in her eyes, something familiar in a sea of unfamiliar goings on. He listened while she spoke, knowing she was right yet too hurt and proud himself to admit his transgressions. He just turned away, choosing to look out the passenger window, pouting, as Sara took a deep breath and turned back to face the road, putting the car in gear and pulling away.

TBC


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

'Wow!' Neal repeated for the third time

He wheeled himself around the main floor of the gallery, taking in all the new art that had been put up and admiring the choices that had been made in his absence.

'Where did you guys get these Annie Stuarts?' he asked as he admired the three paintings from his new favorite artist

Cameron shrugged. 'She agreed to let us have them on consignment'

'Well done!' said Neal with a nod and a smile

Sara watched as Neal magically reverted to his former self; the enthusiasm and self-confidence he usually exuded when he was a the gallery finally back on his face after a few days missing in action. Although she was still pissed off at him for behaving like a spoiled brat, she was glad he was finally finding something to get excited about.

'Oh, and check this out' Peter said animatedly as he came closer, turning on his Ipad for Neal to see

'This is what the upstairs looks like' he added, pointing to a number of photographs he'd taken

Neal smiled, a big, broad, satisfied smile as he took in the images of the upstairs of the gallery and the paintings that had been brought in from their studio at home – several of Hope's he was particularly fond of and a handful of his.

'Good choice!' Neal exclaimed

'Whose idea was the coral?' he asked referring to the color scheme they had finally settled on

'Elizabeth and Hope' Peter responded nervously

'I _like_ it!' Neal said with enthusiasm

He let out a long slow breath. The place looked nothing like the last time he'd been there, a little over a week before. He wheeled himself over to the back room, suddenly recalling the sight of Pete Milville standing there, pointing a gun at Hope and he hesitated for a moment as he rolled over the spot where he'd almost bled to death. There were no visible signs of the horrible events of that night; the floors were squeaky clean, the walls freshly painted, the teaching room back to its orderly self.

He swallowed hard as he wheeled his chair around the huge island where the students worked, wistfully touching the paintbrushes and sundry art supplies that were laid out as he passed by.

Suddenly, the door to the shop flew open, the bell chiming cheerfully as Hope ran in, out of breath.

'Did I miss it?' she called out as she ran into the gallery, immediately noticing her parents standing there

'Awww! I wanted to see your face when you walked in!' she exclaimed as she spotted her dad

He looked up at her bright blue eyes, so full of life. Warmth and love radiated off her as she stared at her father, surmising his reaction to the surprise they had all worked so hard at preparing just for him.

'Why do I have a feeling you had a lot to do with this?' Neal asked as he wheeled himself over to where she stood, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her closer

'Do you _really _like it?' Hope asked as she studied her dad's face

'I absolutely, positively _love_ it!' Neal exclaimed

Hope pulled away as Sara watched her move, so much like her dad – so excited at the sight of a beautiful painting or a gorgeous piece of art. Hope became animated as she started to run around the gallery, pointing out the merits of this piece and the intricate technique of that piece, just bursting at the seams at showing her dad what they'd decided on and why.

'Dad, I really wasn't sure about this one' she said animatedly as she pointed to a more abstract piece from one of Neal's ex-students

'Is that a Joey McLarty?' Neal asked turning his head to study it sideways

'How did you know?' Cameron asked, surprised at Neal's attention to detail

'I did teach him for a whole semester; I recognize his style' Neal fibbed, remembering the budding artist who had been in his class over a year ago

'Or maybe you read the signature on the painting' Hope said, ratting him out – she knew all the old Caffrey tricks

'Or I might have done that...' Neal admitted, caught in a fib

Everyone giggled, including Sara who was relieved to hear the sound of Neal's laughter; for a few fleeting moments, he appeared to have forgotten he was a prisoner in his steel chair and he'd reverted to his old exuberant self, enjoying the moment.

It was late afternoon and Neal insisted on staying on at the gallery for a while and greeting a few of his regular customers. Sara relented, agreeing to go home and get dinner started while Neal lingered for awhile. Cameron promised to drive him home when he got tired and Sara realized that although Neal would be exhausted by bedtime, he'd be in high spirits when he finally hit the sack.

WCWCWC

'Why doesn't the message match the tone of your voice?' asked Emily back in Chicago

'What do you mean?' responded Sara as she sat on the couch in the family room with Raffie's head on her lap

'Well, you say Neal is doing better but there's obviously something bothering you' said her sister

'No... of course, I'm _happy_ he's doing better, he's just... well, he's being very stubborn about letting me help him with anything' Sara admitted as she longingly ran her hand over the dog's fur

'And you're surprised because...' Emily said; she was getting to know her brother-in-law, warts and all

Sara laughed nervously; of course her sister was right. Neal was just being Neal, strong, independent Neal who hated being doted on or catered to. She hated to see him struggle when, if only he'd let her, she could step in and help make his life so much easier.

She thought of Neal as he worked so very hard to get out of his armchair and into his wheelchair, insisting on wheeling himself to the bathroom by himself where she could hear him pulling himself up with great effort in order to use the toilet. After a few moments, she would hear him mutter as he positioned himself back into the wheelchair and made his way back – the simple task taking five times the time it typically took Neal to use the washroom, something he'd done his whole life without giving it a second thought.

'All day, he seemed to be trying to pick a fight with me and I finally blew up and... well I yelled at him' Sara said, obviously feeling guilty

'You're a safe bet, a sure thing' said Emily

'What do you mean?' Sara asked, not following

'Well, he's angry and frustrated and he can't show that to just anybody so he picks on the one person he knows won't ever turn on him' Emily explained

'You think so?' Sara asked

'Basic psychology' answered Emily 'Take it from someone who taught eight year olds most of her life. They just keep pushing to see if you'll still love them when they misbehave; looking for that limit'

'But Neal's not an eight year old – ' Sara began

'No, but it's the same basic principle. Neal is hurt and he's angry and there's only one place he can direct that anger without alienating the whole world' explained Emily

WCWCWC

Neal's joy at returning to the gallery seemed short-lived and when he came home, he immediately reverted to his grumpy persona, having to deal with all the inconveniences of his non-functional legs. Sara put him through his paces before bed, following Clive's instructions and not surprisingly, Neal grumbled all the way through. By ten o'clock, he was exhausted and he and Sara settled in for a second night on the hide-a-bed, away from the comforts of their conjugal bed. Sara sat up reading; she could feel Neal fidgeting beside her, unable to find a comfortable position to sleep in. Although he couldn't feel his legs, they were restless and somehow achy and he struggled with lifting the dead weight every time he wanted to move on the bed.

'How about I rub your legs, like Clive showed me?' Sara suggested

Neal glared at her; it seemed like an unnecessary indulgence. His impatience became obvious in his voice as he spoke.

'I'm fine' he muttered

Sara continued reading although she'd already re-read the same paragraph three times over, a sure sign that she was more preoccupied with Neal's inability to settle down than her literary pursuits.

'Maybe you'd be more comfortable if you just slept in our bed' Neal finally said dismissively

The moment the words left his lips he regretted having uttered them – but it was too late to take them back, at least in Neal Caffrey's much too proud psyche.

'Would _you _be more comfortable if I slept in our bed?' Sara asked, obviously upset by his proposition

Neal hesitated for a moment; what he wanted more than anything was to curl up with Sara in his arms as he always did and hold her close as he floated away to a dreamless sleep. But he was still mad at the world and Sara was an easy mark.

'Yeah, I think it would be best...' he said, his voice quiet

Sara looked into his eyes for a brief moment expecting him to change his mind or tell her he was kidding but Neal did neither and he just stared back, daring her to... he was wasn't quite sure what.

Sara was hurt by his suggestion and she wasn't about to make herself vulnerable again. She sat on the edge of the bed, collecting a few of her things and stalling, hoping her husband would pull her in, beg her to stay, tell her he needed her by his side... but Neal just continued to fidget and moan, obviously pissed off at the curve ball life had chosen to throw his way.

She stood, setting her pride aside for a brief instant and she bent down and kissed Neal gently on the lips.

'Call me if you need anything' she said simply

The ball was in his court now and Neal watched, desolate, as his wife walked away, leaving him alone to face his demons.

WCWCWC

Sara lay in bed and wept. Neal was a mere few feet away and she wanted to be with him so badly that it hurt. She tried to remind herself that he was reacting to the circumstances, to his current situation and that it had nothing to do with her or the way he _felt_ about her. She tried... but it was a hard sell in light of the way he'd been behaving towards her.

She wanted him to know that she was there for him, especially over the coming days. June's funeral was the day after next and the ceremony would undoubtedly rekindle the pain and anguish he'd felt at losing her. She needed to find a way to set her feelings aside and be there to support him no matter how much it hurt.

Neal lay in the middle of the family room, moonlight coming in from the back of the house. How could he be so awful to Sara, the one person above all others who loved him no matter what. He knew that she'd forgive him anything but that wasn't a good enough reason to push her away as he'd been doing, daring her to love him even if he acted like a jerk. And yet, he was so damn angry at life for what had happened and she was the one person he could direct all that anger towards without fear of alienation.

But even Sara had her limits, the little voice in his head reminded him and if he pushed too far and too hard, there would be no coming back.

TBC


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Mozzie listened intently as he sat across from Neal at the Caffrey kitchen table. He waited a moment, while Neal put down the piece of paper he'd been reading from and after wiping a wayward tear, he replaced his glasses on his nose and looked up at his best friend.

'It's perfect, Neal' he said, his voice quiet

'You sure?' Neal asked, looking apprehensive

For all the self-confidence and poise he normally had, Neal was suddenly feeling very insecure.

'It's perfect!' Mozzie repeated

Neal let out a long slow breath. He wanted his eulogy to do the memory of June Ellington justice and he'd begun to think he would never find the words to convey his love and admiration for this wonderful woman.

'I just want to make June proud' said Neal, removing his reading glasses and setting them down on the table

'You always have' Mozzie responded 'and this time is no exception'

Neal nodded in thanks – that was exactly what he needed to hear. The funeral was a mere twenty four hours away and he'd decided that it was time to share his speech with someone – someone who could be brutally honest and who knew June just as well as he did.

'So where is all this happening?' Mozzie asked

'Marion and Lorna have arranged for the funeral to be at Riverside Church and then they're having everyone over to June's place' Neal answered

'Everyone?' Mozzie asked

'They're expecting over 200 people at the church' Neal said

'And you're sure you're up to this?' Mozzie asked of his friend, knowing full well how difficult the last week had been for Neal

'Ready or not, I'm doing this Moz' he responded quietly

WCWCWC

Sara toiled at her desk, trying to make a small dent in the several hundred e-mails that had accumulated on her work computer. With Mozzie visiting back in White Plains, she'd wanted to take advantage of a few hours of respite to come in to work and check things out. She was knee-deep in a response to one of their more finicky clients when she heard someone stepping into her office.

'Lydia!' she said as she rose to greet her friend

'Sara, it's so great to see you' said the young woman, hugging her boss and mentor

'Sam and I have been thinking of Neal non-stop but we didn't want to intrude' she said as she took a seat across from Sara's desk

'It's... it's a been rough week' Sara admitted 'You know how Neal is... so proud and well, self-sufficient. Although at the moment, not so much of the latter'

Lydia listened, picking up on Sara's anguish and wishing she could do something to help her.

'Do you think he might be up to a little visit from Bea?' she asked, knowing how much her little girl meant to Neal Caffrey

Sara's face lit up at the thought of her goddaughter.

'That would be great; I'm sure it would lift his spirits. Tomorrow is June's funeral so Neal's particularly preoccupied right now. It would take his mind off things. Do you want to pop in tonight after dinner?' asked Sara, imagining her husband's delight at seeing the toddler

'Sure, if you think it isn't too much for him' Lydia agreed

Sara smiled, it would do _her_ good to see Bea as well; she hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks.

'So, anything new – progress wise?' Lydia asked, not wanting to pry

'He's... he's gaining some strength. He's doing physio every day to keep his legs active and I've noticed that he can stand for a couple of seconds longer but... he's been shutting me out, Lydia. We've got him set up in the family room and he actually kicked me out of bed and up to our room last night' she said sadly

'Oh Sara, I'm sorry. But you know Neal, he probably can't stand the thought of you worrying about him' Lydia said

Sara shook her head in desolation. She knew her friend was right but it didn't make it any easier to be banished from the conjugal bed when you desperately wanted to be there to support the man you loved. All she wanted was to be let in, for him to share how he was feeling but this was Neal Caffrey and she knew better than to expect him to show any vulnerability.

'Well, he's not making it easy on me. I know he doesn't mean to hurt me but... I feel so... so useless and... I just wish he'd let me in and let me be there for him. This morning he insisted on taking a shower by himself but he slipped off the chair in the shower and I had to go in and help him drag himself back up. You should have seen his face... so... he looked like a lost little puppy' Sara said, her eyes faraway

Lydia listened, knowing there was little else she could do. Neal and Sara were strong and they were devoted to one another and at some point, Neal would reach out to his wife; Lydia hoped that there wouldn't be too much collateral damage by the time Neal came to his senses.

WCWCWC

On Friday afternoon, Sara made the long trek back home and then back into Manhattan to drop Neal off at the gallery. His visit from the previous day had obviously done wonders for his disposition and he was anxious to get back and put in another couple of hours. The cold war between Sara and Neal had begun to thaw although he was still keeping her at arm's length; that little episode in the bathroom that morning had been particularly humiliating and Neal had hated having to call on her for help to get up after his slip in the shower. To her credit, she'd made light of it and had allowed him to lick his wounds in private for a few minutes following the incident. But he couldn't stand the hovering and as soon as Sara got closer and showed any signs of wanting to comfort him, his instinct was to immediately pull back. He was her husband for God's sake and he hated for her to see him as anything but a strong, virile man, an equal partner and not some needy invalid.

He sat in the car, not saying much of anything as Sara prattled on about some stuff from Sterling Bosch, just trying to fill the silence on the long drive to the Raphael Gallery. Neal knew that Peter would be there and Cam was scheduled to work from dinnertime to closing time. He looked forward to being in the gallery and just soaking in the beauty around him, sharing some camaraderie with Peter and a chat with Cameron who he was learning to appreciate more and more.

Once there, he settled in behind the counter where he usually did some work, cursing that everything wasn't in easy reach and Peter did his best to cater to him as casually as he could. But this was Neal Caffrey and it wasn't easy to pull the wool over his eyes and Peter could feel Neal becoming impatient as the afternoon wore on.

'Are you ready for tomorrow?' he asked as the men shared a cup of latte from the café next door

'As ready as I'll ever be' Neal answered 'I ran the eulogy by Mozzie this morning and it passed muster so...'

'I know it'll be great. June would be very proud of you – overcoming everything to be there' Peter said

'Where else would I be, Peter? She meant so much to me' Neal said, his voice getting shaky

'She was a wonderful woman, there's no doubt about that. She loved you very much' Peter added

Neal looked away, becoming emotional. 'Well, I loved her' he said simply

WCWCWC

Sara kept the Jordans' visit a surprise and she was thrilled when she saw Neal's face light up at the sight of little Bea. They'd just finished dinner and Neal was fading fast but he welcomed the toddler into his arms, giving her a ride in his chair and listening to her squeal with joy at the new experience. Oh, well, the ugly contraption was good for something at least. He lay on the bed and threw her up in the air, listening to her giggle that wonderful giggle of hers and he pulled out 'Goodnight Moon' from the little bookshelf they kept full of toys and books for her visits, settling in to read to her as both man and child began to fade.

Sara sat at the kitchen table with Lydia and Sam, sharing some cake and talking about this and that; she finally looked over to the nearby family room spotting Neal and Bea sound asleep, the book precariously perched on Neal's lap and his reading glasses still on the tip of his nose.

'I wonder which one of the two tuckered the other one out' she said wistfully

Lydia and Sam looked at their friend, sensing her anguish and pain.

'I know we can't fix this...' Sam said tentatively '... but if there's anything we can do...'

'I think you just did it' Sara responded as she returned her eyes to the duo sound asleep nearby

Sara cleaned up after the Jordans left and waited for some kind of sign from Neal letting her know if she was welcome back in bed with him. He seemed to be avoiding the subject entirely and he began to settle in for the night as she finished putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher. She made her way over, lingering, giving him ample opportunity to welcome her back but he just turned in bed, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in.

She waited desperately for that single word – 'stay' – but it never came and she kissed her husband goodnight and slowly made her way up the stairs to their lonely bed.

WCWCWC

On Saturday morning, Neal rose feeling energized; it was going to be a long, exhausting day but he felt equal to the task.

By the time Sara came down, she found both Neal and Hope sharing a cup of coffee and chatting about the day ahead. They laughed as she stepped off the stairs, having just shared a funny anecdote about June and Sara watched the two of them, co-conspirators in all things and she envied them the effortlessness of their relationship. Neal and Hope had always shared a very unique bond – perhaps because they were both artists or perhaps because they both wore their hearts on their sleeves. Conversation always flowed easily between the two of them and Sara was relieved to note that there didn't appear to be any fallout from Hope's outburst from two weeks before. Whatever had happened between them to heal that wound, she was glad for it and she was thankful that father and daughter had returned to their previous loving relationship - of course, they'd just shared a very traumatic and personal experience and that couldn't help but draw them even closer.

Neal looked up upon seeing Sara enter the room and for just a second, he was unguarded and she saw all the love he had for her in his eyes. He recovered and looked down at his cup of coffee, unable or unwilling to go there and she moved to the kitchen counter to grab a cup of coffee and join her husband and daughter at the table.

'What time do we have to be at the church?' she asked as she sat at the table

'Probably an hour before – around two' Neal answered 'I just want to make sure that I can... get around okay'

Sara nodded. Whatever he wanted, she was fine with. This was going to be a difficult and very long day and she would be there unconditionally; whatever he needed from her, she would be happy to give.

She reached over and took his hand, squeezing it in hers and she felt him squeeze back.

It was a start.

TBC


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

Neal looked down at the grey suit which had been laid out for him on the couch. It had always been June's favorite and she'd commented on it every time he'd worn it over the years. When he'd moved out of the mansion on Riverside Drive, she'd insisted he take along a number of Byron's suits and he still wore them regularly although now that he worked at the gallery, he tended to dress more casually. He looked down at the shirt and tie Sara had chosen to match the suit: a perfect choice as always and he began the tedious task of getting dressed. Putting on clothes with uncooperative legs was a challenge but he was determined to manage on his own and he lifted himself out of the wheelchair and onto the edge of the bed in order to make it easier to get his clothes on.

Unbeknownst to Neal, Sara stood nearby, at the bottom of the stairs, watching him struggle. It took all she had not to step forward to help but she managed to resist the urge, waiting for just the right moment – if indeed the right moment ever came. She watched as he clumsily stepped into his pants, letting them hang off his legs as he reached for the shirt and wriggled into it, buttoning it up expertly as he always did. From her spot at the bottom of the stairs, she heard him grunt as he made the extreme effort to stand for a moment, trying awkwardly to pull up his pants and fasten his belt with one hand as he held onto the edge of the nearby wheelchair to keep himself from falling.

Sara spotted Hope teetering at the top of the stairs, preparing to make her descent and she placed a finger to her lips, urging her to wait a moment and be still. Neal didn't need to have spectators until he was properly dressed; it was bad enough that he had to dress in the middle of the family room every day without him having to worry about people walking in on him. Hope nodded and stood motionless, waiting for her mom to give her the signal that it was safe to come down.

Sara craned her head around the corner, watching as Neal fell back on the edge of the bed, grabbing for the beautiful vintage tie and clip and suddenly she heard a whimpering sound as he began to cry softly. Whether he was disheartened by the enormity of the task at hand or simply thinking of June, she couldn't tell but before she knew it, her legs were taking her into the family room and Neal looked up, his eyes filled with tears as she came into sight. He was tired of keeping it together, of being stoic and suddenly it didn't matter so much that Sara had found him in this vulnerable state. He opened his arms to her as she drew near, taking the spot on the edge of the bed next to him. Without uttering a single word, his face disappeared into the crook of her neck as she drew him close, cradling him against her as he cried softly.

'I miss her' he said, his voice unsteady

'I know, honey' Sara said simply as she lovingly ran her fingers through his hair

She'd missed his loving touch so much over the past couple of weeks and even in his present state of distress, she welcomed the feel of his strong body against hers.

Within seconds, Neal got a hold of himself and looked up at his wife, eyes glistening as he handed her the tie, inviting her to put it on for him. Of all the tasks related to dressing, he could certainly manage to put on a tie by himself but suddenly, he wanted _her_ to do it, wanted to see her eyes as she lovingly placed the apparel around his shirt collar and proceeded to knot it expertly as she'd done on so many occasions. The simple, mundane gesture was so intimate and he suddenly felt close to her again; he continued to gaze at her as she let her hands linger for a moment fussing to get the knot just right.

'Thanks' he said, reverting to a more composed state

She smiled as she patted the tie, lovingly running her fingers down the length of it.

'You look very handsome' she said 'June would be proud of you'

He cleared his throat, the moment over. If he was going to get through the day with some shred of dignity, he needed to get a hold of his emotions and he reached for the suit jacket nearby and shrugged it on skillfully.

WCWCWC

The Caffrey family arrived at the stately church a few minutes before two o'clock. Sara looked elegant and understated in a beautiful navy blue suit, her hair in an updo looking like the matriarch she was fast becoming. Liam wore his one and only suit, looking so grown up, holding his mom's elbow as they entered the church. Hope and Cam appeared, holding hands, following the cortege with Neal leading the way as he wheeled himself down the long, narrow aisle towards the front of the church.

'Oh good, you're early' said Lorna as she spotted them and met them halfway

'I wanted to make sure everything was in place' Neal said as he looked around the imposing cathedral

He looked up towards the altar, noticing the short ramp leading up to the pulpit; he wondered if that had always been there or if it had been installed for his benefit. Either way, he was relieved at the thought that he wouldn't have to struggle to reach the podium when the time came for him to give his eulogy.

'How are you two doing?' Neal asked as Marion joined the group

'Good. Thanks for being here, Neal. We couldn't have done this without you' said Lorna

Neal looked away, shyly. He was happy to be considered a member of the extended Ellington family, especially today as they all shared their grief and sadness at June's passing.

'I wouldn't have missed it for the world' Neal answered as Lorna touched his shoulder gently

'I think Mom would have been happy with the hymns and the readings we chose' Marion volunteered 'and we have the church's gospel choir'

Neal smiled. He knew of June's love for gospel music and he looked forward to hearing what pieces the sisters had chosen in order to honor their mother.

'Neal!' he heard as he turned to see who was there

'Vanessa!' Neal said with delight as he spotted the young woman who had taken such good care of June at the retirement home

'I'm so sorry for your loss... and for... I heard what happened' she said, looking down at Neal's chair

'Yeah, well. Trouble seems to follow me wherever I go'' Neal answered in a self-deprecatory way

'Sara, it's good to see you again' the young woman said as she acknowledged Sara who was standing next to Neal

'We've got a little contingent from Marigold' she added as she pointed towards the back of the church

Neal looked over, recognizing a number of faces, among them Mrs. Dixon who was waving madly at him. Neal let out a small laugh and he wheeled himself over to where she sat, looking particularly small and fragile in the large expansive church.

'Mrs. Dixon!' he exclaimed as he got closer, the Caffrey charm firmly in place

'Mr. Caffrey. I read about what happened to you in the paper. I'm so sorry' she said as she reached out to take Neal's outstretched hand

Neal gave her a 'what can you do' shrug as he brought his lips to her hand.

'Thank you so much for coming today' he said as he prepared to rejoin his family

Within moments, the church began to fill up, as Marion, Lorna and Neal greeted the well-wishers one by one, the Ellington sisters introducing Neal to extended family members as they arrived. There were people from June's bridge club, from her reading circle, from the many charities she was involved in as well as old friends of hers and Byron's, themselves fragile and elderly.

Neal looked out at the eclectic crowd – some young, some old, all colors, shapes and sizes. June had touched so many lives in her long voyage on earth and suddenly Neal felt ill-equipped to pay homage to her, realizing he'd known her for a mere twenty five years of her long and happy life. She'd lived an active, busy life long before he'd ever met her and he was worried that what he had to say wouldn't resonate with everyone in attendance. He shook off the uneasy feeling, realizing that all he could do was his best in honoring this most wonderful woman.

He spotted Peter and Elizabeth arriving and the Burkes made their way over, paying their respects to June's daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters.

'You okay buddy?' Peter asked as he awkwardly leaned in to hug Neal

Neal nodded. 'Yeah, I'm good' he said

A few minutes before the ceremony was set to begin, Neal spotted Mozzie slipping into the pew next to El; always feeling the need to be inconspicuous and he gave Neal a nod in greeting as he took his place. Neal became aware of some of the members of the White Collar crew sitting nearby, Diana and Christie with their two daughters as well as Clinton with his wife and two boys. June had been instrumental in reaching out to so many and she'd had the wonderful gift of making everyone feel special, no matter who they were.

Neal gazed out with pride at the large crowd – this was a gathering worthy of a woman such as June Ellington. Before he knew it, the choir had taken its place at the front of the church and had begun an uplifting hymn as people began to clap along; this was June's party and she deserved a wonderful celebration.

WCWCWC

Prayers followed readings, interspersed with beautiful hymns and the funeral began to wind down as the priest looked to the crowd, inviting them to take a seat.

'Now, I'd like to invite Neal Caffrey to come up and say a few words about June Ellington' he announced as everyone took their place

The church grew quiet as Neal self-consciously began the short trip towards the ramp leading to the pulpit; suddenly it looked a lot steeper than he'd realized and he began to worry that he might not make it up to the podium without breaking a sweat. He hesitated as he got closer and took a running start at it, making it up a few feet before losing his grip and rolling back down. He took a deep breath, preparing to have another go when he suddenly felt a presence behind him. He glanced back, immediately noticing it was Liam, at the ready, capably pushing his chair up the ramp and carefully turning him to face the congregation as Neal let out a sigh of relief. Liam put his hand on his dad's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze before disappearing as unobtrusively as he'd appeared, leaving Neal to face the large crowd as he reached for the microphone which had been placed just within his reach.

'My name is Neal Caffrey' he began as he looked out at the large crowd '...and June Ellington was my friend'

TBC


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

Neal looked around the large cathedral, taking in the countless faces – most of them unknown to him, realizing there were many more mourners than had been expected. A few rows behind Peter and Elizabeth, he spotted Sam and Lydia, who had never even met June – no doubt there to support him as he said goodbye to his beloved friend. He was bowled over once again by the wide-ranging ages of those in attendance; June had been involved in so many charities and groups and she'd touched the lives of young and old over the years. He was once again humbled at having the privilege of delivering the eulogy and he smiled over at Marion and Lorna as he pulled out the few index cards he'd jotted his main points on, just in case he got tongue tied.

Of course, Neal could speak off the cuff better than anyone but these were unusual circumstances for him, his customary self-confidence shaken and his heart in his throat; he hadn't wanted to take any chances.

'You know, I began to write this a few days ago and I must have started over at least a dozen times' he began, his voice strong and clear 'I was afraid that I could never do this wonderful woman justice and I was concerned that, unlike some of you, I hadn't had the privilege of knowing June in her early years. After all, I met June a mere twenty five years ago when she was entering her seventies and I didn't have the privilege of knowing her as a young woman, a young mother, a wife. But then I realized that the best thing I could do today was to talk about how this amazing woman changed my life because I realize now that June probably touched all of you the very same way she touched me, with her grace, her kindness and her generosity'

He stopped for a moment, noting just how very quiet the attendees were; you could have heard the proverbial pin drop in the large church. His eyes went to Sara, who sat looking beautiful and serene as she listened raptly to Neal's words; she smiled encouragingly and that gave him confidence as he briefly glanced down at his notes and soldiered on.

'You know one of the most amazing things about June Ellington was her ability to read people. On many occasions, she seemed to know what I needed even before I did. Her insights into people and their motivations were amazing; she cut through the crap, you know, right to the heart of things'

Neal looked nervously over to the priest, hoping his colloquialism hadn't offended him but the older man just smiled at him and Neal carried on.

'June and I met in the most unorthodox way. I was just getting my life back on track' he said 'and I was looking for clothes in a thrift shop not very far from here. She happened to come in to donate some of Byron's suits and we somehow got to talking. June was _easy_ to talk to, she made eye contact effortlessly and she smiled that smile - always open to meeting new people'

Neal looked over at the rapt faces, many of them nodding as he spoke and he realized that many in attendance had had similar experiences with June over the years.

'Anyway, if _I _had met me that day, I would have been very wary – but not June. Here was this young guy, struggling with building a new life and she didn't know me from Adam and yet, by the time we'd finished talking, she'd invited me to move into her guest room over on Riverside Drive. She had somehow decided that I was trustworthy, don't ask me why...'

Laughter could be heard from a few corners of the room – no doubt people who knew of Neal's past and the circumstances surrounding his meeting with June.

'But you know, that faith June showed in me that very first day, it followed me everywhere I went and it made me want to be a better man so I wouldn't somehow disappoint her. Of course, she never asked for anything in return, she didn't demand that I prove myself to her – she just believed I was worthy of her faith in me and it became so. Years later, when I became a dad, I did a lot of reading on child development and I learned about the principle of the 'self-fulfilling prophecy'. If you treat your child with respect and you have faith in their ability to do the right thing, they will always rise to the occasion. If you expect the worse of someone, that's probably what you'll get. I realize now, that June was a proponent of that theory; she saw the best in me, even when I wasn't up to snuff and that's what kept me striving to become a better person'

He paused to take a breath, feeling emotion rising in his chest. He wanted to get through this without falling apart, he'd promised her he would and he was intent on keeping his word.

'In that way, I like to think of June as my surrogate mom, watching over me, giving me advice, gently nudging me in the right direction... I couldn't tell you how many times June had my back over the years. But she never judged me or chastised me even when I was making a mess of things, which was often in those early days'

Neal glanced briefly at Peter who sat there smiling, probably remembering all those shady dealings of Neal's when he'd first come into his life. Peter had always been amazed to see June's unwavering faith in Neal, no matter what.

'She was a constant presence and those years I was lucky enough to share her home were some of the best in my life. But when my wife and I had our baby girl, we knew it was time to make a fresh start on our own and although I could see how heart-broken June was to see us leave, she did it with grace and love, gently pushing us out of the nest and telling us to fly of our own imperfect wings'

Again Neal glanced towards his family, noting Hope wiping her eyes and Liam looking on with a gentle smile on his face. June had been such an important person in their lives and he knew that they would both miss her terribly.

'That could have been the end of my relationship with June but no, she was in for the long haul and as the years passed, she became the grandmother my children needed. She was 'fun grandma' as my daughter Hope reminded me just the other day. Her beautiful home was just a means to an end and she welcomed our kids, their laughter and their many messes. She loved all her grandkids' Neal said as he looked over to the large contingent of Ellington progeny, sitting there listening with bated breath.

'She worried about Cindy doing well in art school, she worried about Samantha's health; sometimes I'd find her crying as she thought of her girls having moved to other parts of the world. But she saw herself as a launching pad of sorts – she felt that once she'd done her job, she needed to get out of the way, to let go and like everything else she did in life, she let us all leave the nest with her usual grace and dignity'

He stopped once again, taking a sip of water from the glass nearby and collecting his thoughts.

'I never met Byron but I feel like I knew him. His presence was all over that house – not in some morbid way, just in a comforting, enduring way... like the wonderful way I feel when my wife leaves the room and I can still smell her perfume lingering after she's gone'

Sara looked up at Neal, her eyes crinkling. He'd never said anything like that to her before and her heart swelled at the notion that he would think of her that way even when she wasn't physically there with him.

'He was always in her thoughts. A few years ago, I discovered a note he'd left for her that June hadn't been aware of. It was tucked away in an old record album that June hadn't been able to listen to since he'd passed away. The note was a love letter in which he confessed that she'd been the driving force in keeping him on the straight and narrow over the years. I watched her face as she read it, overcome with the realization that he'd done what he'd done for _her_ – even though she'd never asked him for anything. That was June in a nutshell – you _wanted _to make her proud, you wanted to be that person she saw when she looked at you. Well, June, I hope you're proud of us today. Your grace and elegance will linger for years to come, through all of us who loved you. Although we will miss your presence, you will always be among us as we carry on as best we can with our lives, striving to be the best we can be. Thank you for that wonderful legacy'

Neal stared out at the congregation as he saw many wiping their eyes, noticing Marion and Lorna crying softly. Before he knew it, Liam had returned to make sure he made it down the steep ramp safely and Neal returned to his spot in the church next to Sara who reached out to take his hand.

WCWCWC

There was laughter once again in the big old house on Riverside Drive as the younger children ran in the garden and the adults wandered through the mansion, sharing stories and a few drinks in June's memory. Many of the mourners had returned home after the service but a good hundred or so had seen fit to continue on to the house for a small reception.

Lorna and Marion stood on either side of Neal, each with a hand on his shoulder as they spoke.

'You did an amazing job' said Lorna

'We knew you would' added Marion

'Thanks. I was really nervous but I think it went pretty well' said Neal as he felt himself begin to relax

He hadn't noticed just how anxious he'd been but now that the service was over, he could feel himself begin to unwind as the tension dissipated, thanks in part to the excellent scotch he was sipping. Being in the house always had that effect – it was like coming home and the visit would never be complete without a quick trip to his old apartment to linger a few minutes over the mural he had painstakingly painted in Hope's old room.

'Look, Neal, if you're up to it, Mom asked that you be at the reading of the will next week' said Lorna before leaving his side

'Let me know when it is and I'll be there' he answered as his eyes began to search the room for Hope

He found her in the garden playing with little Bea and he motioned for her to come over as the two of them slipped out to the back of the house towards the service elevator. They were complicit in this as in so many other things and they made their way up to the third floor, arriving down the hall from Neal's old room.

'You did great, Dad' said Hope as she walked alongside him

'Thanks, sweet pea' he answered as they arrived in front of the door to Neal's old loft

He opened the door, finding the place relatively unchanged, the small couch still in its place, the table with its unmatched chairs, his old tiger oak bed. Every time he walked in, he felt like he was home again although he loved their home and their life in White Plains. He wheeled himself in, looking around, glancing out onto the terrace covered in bright sunlight and he finally made it to the back of the apartment which led to Hope's old bedroom.

'I guess you don't remember much about living here, huh?' Neal asked of his daughter

'No... I just remember visiting' she confirmed as she followed him into her old room

'Dad, it really is beautiful' she said as she stepped back to get the full effect of the mural

It was indeed breathtaking and although she had a replica of it hanging in her room since they'd moved to their house, there was nothing like standing in front of the original and admiring it in all its splendor.

'I guess the house will eventually be sold...' Neal said, longingly 'Your grandma promised me that as long as she lived here, the mural would always stay'

Hope put a loving hand on her dad's shoulder and squeezed; she knew how much he hated the thought that his beloved mural would someday disappear.

'Do you know it took me four months to finish it?' he asked

Of course she knew; he'd only told her every single time they visited.

'Oh yeah?' she answered, playing along

He laughed, catching on to her placation.

'Come on, honey, the rest of the family is waiting for us downstairs' he finally said taking her hand in his and turning away from his beloved mural, perhaps for the very last time.

TBC


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

'Double scotches all around' Neal called out as the three men headed over to a quiet booth in the corner

The reception had ended shortly after 7:00 and Sara had encouraged Neal to go out and have a quiet drink with Peter and Mozzie before heading home. It had been a rough couple of days for him and she could see he needed time to re-boot and re-energize after the day's emotional events. He had sent her home with the kids, glad for the opportunity to sit with his two best friends and share a couple of drinks while they told their best June stories.

Neal managed to pull himself up to his feet long enough to shift his weight onto the edge of the booth, abandoning the chair at the side of the table. He loved it when he could leave it behind for a few minutes and sit on a normal piece of furniture; over the past few days, he'd gotten better at shifting his weight and with the pain slowly starting to fade in his chest, movements were becoming a little bit easier. He'd begun to get some sensation back in his legs, something he'd been nervous about admitting even to Sara – just in case it was his imagination – and he looked forward to his upcoming checkup so he could discuss the situation with Dr. Miller.

'Are you sure you can drink while you're taking your pain medication?' Peter asked, as he stared down at the scotch the waitress had set down in front of his best friend

'I skipped the afternoon dose so I could have a drink' said Neal dismissively as he took a long sip from his glass

He hadn't had a drink since the shooting and the amber liquid tasted amazing as it passed his taste buds and coated his parched throat. Ever since the accident, Neal felt like he was being treated like a child by both Sara and Peter. Although he knew they had his best interests at heart, they seemed to be forgetting that he was a middle-aged man, capable of making his own decisions. He wondered if he should invest in a sign he could wear around his neck that said '_Just the legs_ are out of commission'.

The place they'd chosen, at Mozzie's urging, was a quiet little pub not too far from one of his safe houses. He'd confessed that he and June would often meet up there on Wednesday afternoons for gin martinis.

'Used to sit right over there' Mozzie said, pointing to a small table by the window 'June loved to people watch. We used to make bets with each other about where they were going, who they were meeting...'

'So, how did you know which one of you was right?' Peter asked, clueless

'Oh, that's easy. June was _always_ right' Mozzie answered with assurance

Neal laughed at his friend's response; he was right of course – June had always had terrific instincts when it came to people and their motivations.

'She had an uncanny knack of sizing people up the minute she laid eyes on them. Look at me…' Neal boasted '…she trusted me from day one despite the fact that I'd confessed I'd just been released from prison'

'What about me?' Peter chimed in 'She didn't trust me for the longest time and _I _was an FBI agent'

Neal took another sip of his drink and gave Peter a knowing look, eyebrows raised 'I rest my case' he said as Mozzie laughed

'The only time I saw her 'people radar' out of commission was when Byron's friend, Ford, came to visit' Neal said wistfully

'Well, luckily we had her back that time' Peter said, recalling the case where the older man had tried to con his way back into June's life

'She was blinded by her memories of Byron – she missed him so much' Mozzie added, his voice nostalgic

'To June' he added as the trio lifted their glasses in unison

'You know, I'll never forget the first time I walked into the house at 87 Riverside Drive' Peter recounted 'There stood June with that annoying little yapper of hers…'

'…Bugsy...' Neal interrupted

'Whatever' continued Peter 'There she stood with that ugly mutt in her arms and her high heel shoes, all decked out at 7:30 in the morning. When she pointed me up to your place, I thought for sure there had to be _some _mistake'

Neal smiled, recalling Peter's face as he'd walked out onto the terrace that day, incensed to see him having the best coffee money could buy as he relaxed with gorgeous Cindy sitting nearby.

'But that was before I realized what a charmed life Neal Caffrey lived -' Peter said, stopping suddenly as he looked over at Neal's wheelchair, feeling badly for his comment

'It's okay, Peter. You're right; I rode on fumes for a really long time…' Neal admitted, taking a large gulp of the excellent scotch

For a brief moment, he forgot about his woes, enjoying the companionship of his two best friends and laughing good-heartedly at the wonderful memories of their mutual friend.

'Well, June must have recognized a kindred spirit when _I_ knocked on her door 'because she didn't hesitate to let _me _in' Mozzie said, staring down Peter who was feeling like the odd man out

'She was a sneaky board game player though' Mozzie added 'Especially when we played Candyland; I once lost a bottle of Shackleton to her in a high stakes game. She was the only person I ever met whose tells I couldn't figure out'

'As I recall, she donated that bottle of Shackleton to a worthy cause when we tried to duplicate it to draw out Dennis Flynn' Neal added

'June was always a team player' Mozzie agreed

'Yeah, when it was 'team Neal' said Peter looking over at his best friend 'she would have done anything for you, buddy'

'Including help train _you _so you could break into that place on the Stanzler case' said Neal, recalling how Peter had briefly played the role of conman

'... and you were _not _an easy person to train' recalled Mozzie 'you would have made a terrible criminal'

'Well, she did pitch in on a lot of our cases back then – she helped me print those phony tickets when I was working on the Stradivarius case with Sara...' recalled Neal

'... and she did lend you Byron's pool cue when we worked that theft at Yankee Stadium' Mozzie added

The trio grew quiet as all the memories of June came flooding back. She had definitely been unique – one in a million.

'You know what I miss most of all' said Mozzie as he took a long pull on his drink 'just hanging out with her, having a nice martini, chatting... and she could throw a block like no other -'

'I beg to differ' Neal interrupted as he recalled how Mozzie had interfered vigorously in his relationship with Sara in the early days 'I think that distinction goes to you!'

'But, one thing's for sure, she did cover my ass a couple of times...' Neal began as he stared into space '... hell, _more_ than a couple of times. When Sara walked in that day with the police looking for that FAA envelope, I thought June was going to tackle her to the ground to keep her from coming up the stairs…'

He smiled wistfully; he couldn't believe that the incident he was recalling had happened over twenty years before. Where had the time gone? Neal temporarily shook off the nostalgia and motioned for the waitress to bring over another round.

June might not have been Irish but she deserved a good old fashioned wake.

WCWCWC

'I'll ne'er forget it' Neal laughed, his speech slurred

Peter and Mozzie exchanged quizzical looks. They were on their third scotch in just over an hour and certainly starting to feel mellow but Neal seemed to be way over the top. They'd been noticing over the past few minutes that Neal's movements were clumsy, his usual poise unaccounted for and his speech messy and slightly incoherent.

'Neal, are you sure you can have alcohol with that medication?' Mozzie asked

'I'm tellin ya – it's fiiiine' Neal said, gesticulating wildly

'I really don't think so, buddy' Peter said, a little more firmly this time

'What do you say we head back to your place and meet up with the ladies?' he added, trying to make the suggestion sound casual

The last thing he wanted to do was upset Neal on a day such as this but one thing was for certain, he couldn't let him imbibe anymore alcohol. Regardless of Neal's assessment of the situation, they were obviously witnessing a dangerous combination of pain medication and fine whiskey.

'Well, I can't drive anyway, sooo whadoesitmatter?' Neal managed to say as he pointed unsteadily to the wheels on his chair

'You know, theeese are greaaat wheels – bet I could outrun the two o'ya' Neal said as he made a move to grab for his chair

For a moment, both Peter and Mozzie were terrified he was actually going to climb on board and take off in a cloud of dust and they relaxed when Neal returned to his drink, staring into the near empty glass.

'I loooved her, I really, really loved her' he finally said, his head hanging

Peter brought his hand up to Neal's shoulder.

'She was one in a million, that's for sure' he agreed, glancing nervously at Mozzie

If they didn't want to have to pick Neal up off the floor in a puddle of tears, they'd better make a move and soon. Peter stood, bringing Neal's chair closer for him to climb aboard.

'What do you say we head back, it's getting late' he said in an attempt to get Neal home safely

Neal stumbled as he tried to manœuvre himself back into the chair, Mozzie's arm catching him before he tumbled to the ground.

'Thanks, buddy' Neal murmured as he finally found his way onto the chair

'I been wanning to name her' Neal said loudly, seemingly out of the blue '...was thinking of... Mildred... or fuckin' Edna. Whadda you guys think?'

The patrons nearby looked up as Neal swore like a sailor, buoyed by the attention he was getting from the rapt audience.

'I think... we... we shouldave a contest' he said, louder, attracting even more attention

Peter and Mozzie began to prepare to take their leave, anxious to avoid a scene but Neal was now hitting his stride as he continued addressing everyone within earshot.

'How many peo-le vote for 'Mildred'?' he was screaming as Peter tried desperately to grab the chair handles in an attempt to leave

'Wai, wai, wai, wai, wait' Neal said, shooing his hand away from the back of the wheelchair

'Wha about 'fuckin' Edna'? Any takers?' Neal continued as everyone giggled

Even impaired, Neal still had irrefutable charm and the patrons began to react, some of them calling out one or the other of the two names Neal had suggested. Before long, Neal had the whole crowd involved in voting, with 'fuckin' Edna' the clear winner.

Mozzie and Peter watched the spectacle in awe and Neal finally settled down, pleased with the outcome.

'O-kay, now...' he finally said as he looked up at Peter '...you can push fuckin' Edna'

WCWCWC

Sara hung up the phone and stared up at her best friend across from her at the kitchen table.

'What's the matter?' El asked as she took in the concerned look on her friend's face

'That was Peter. He said Neal had just a couple of drinks but he's totally wasted' she said as she reached for her purse

'I'm going to call Neal's case coordinator just to see what she says' Sara said, looking anxious

The women had made their way back to White Plains, leaving the men to reminisce and Neal had mentioned to Sara that he had purposefully skipped his afternoon dose of pain medication so that he could have a drink in June's memory.

Elizabeth listened with interest as Sara explained things on the phone, noticing her face begin to relax at whatever explanation was being given to her at the other end. She finally hung up, turning to El as she spoke.

'She said that there's a buildup of the medication in Neal's system and that he's just having an amplified reaction to the booze he's ingested. He just needs to sleep it off' Sara said, obviously relieved

'Drunk Neal' was a very rare occurrence indeed; she might have witnessed it three or four times since she'd known him but generally, Neal didn't do well with altered states of consciousness whether it was alcohol or barbiturates and on the few occasions he'd been medicated in hospital, he had given her quite a show. She wasn't quite sure what to expect when he finally made it home but she was thankful that Peter and Mozzie were with him to keep an eye on things and keep him from getting into trouble.

She didn't have to wait long; within half an hour the threesome arrived and she could hear Neal belting out 'Oh Danny Boy' at the top of his lungs from their front porch.

TBC


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

It was obvious from the look on Peter's face that he'd had his fair share of babysitting 'too happy for his own good Neal' and he gladly passed the baton over to Sara, suggesting that he and El make tracks back to Brooklyn. Before absconding, however, he helped Sara get Neal ready for bed, supporting him as he stood in front of the toilet and peed for what seemed like three whole minutes, now having moved on to a few classic songs from 'Evita'. Neal gave Peter a nice big, juicy kiss on the cheek, thanking him for everything he'd done for him and he let himself flop onto the bed while Sara walked the Burkes to the front door with a prediction that Neal would be calling with his apologies in the morning.

Sara expected Neal to be sound asleep when she returned but he was lying on his back, still singing, a stupid grin on his face as he gave her a come-hither look and crooked his finger, inviting her to join him. She changed out of her clothes and into a nightshirt and she climbed into bed next to him, figuring she'd give him a few minutes to settle down and fall asleep; that, however, was not what Neal had in mind.

He looked up at Sara with his best puppy dog eyes as she settled in the bed beside him, sitting up and grabbing her book from the bedside table. Despite their little cold war and the fact that he'd actually kicked her out of bed for the past two nights, she didn't want to leave him alone on the off chance he did something stupid – well, _more _stupid than what he'd already done. He kept his eyes on her, his neck craned as he waited for some sort of a response which seemingly, was not forthcoming; she hadn't quite forgiven him for acting like a petulant child for the past three days.

With great effort, Neal turned towards her in the bed, pulling his legs up so he could lay on his side, his head landing firmly in Sara's lap. She smiled grudgingly at the gesture, rolling her eyes and watching as Neal placed his arm snugly around her hips, hugging her close as he made a mewling sound she wasn't quite sure _what_ to make of. He continued with the unusual noises, finally lifting his heavy head and trying to make eye contact with her.

'You're sooo beau-ful' he mumbled somewhat incoherently

'That's nice, honey' she said as she ran her hand absentmindedly through his hair in an effort to keep him calm, hoping he'd fall asleep and let her get back to her book

'No, no, no, no, no, no... you think I'm druuunk and I dunno wha'm saying but I do' he added trying to focus his eyes on hers

'You're beau-diful' he repeated 'as beau-diful as a first time I'ver laid eyes on you'

'Oh yeah? You remember how I looked when you first saw me twenty five years ago? At your trial?' she asked, pointing out how ludicrous his comment was

Drunk or not, she wanted to call Neal on his shit.

'I 'member 'xacly what you were wearing that day' he answered triumphantly

'You think you remember what I was _wearing... _twenty five years ago?' she repeated, incredulous, as Neal began to pull her down onto the bed to keep from having to crane his neck to look up at her

She let herself slip down, her book falling off the bed, until her head was on the pillow next to his, their faces mere inches apart. Neal nodded excitedly; he had this one.

'You had a pen... pencil skirt, navy bluuuue and a silk blouse with some bluuuue and beige design thingy – and reeeally hot strappy navy blue shooooes' he said dramatically, his arms flailing for emphasis

Sara listened as she tried to recall that day; her face beginning to come alive as she realized he was right. She remembered _those_ shoes – her very first pair of Louboutins bought with her first recovery check from her brand new job at Sterling Bosh. She couldn't quite believe it – surely it was just a lucky guess.

'I 'member eeeverything you wear' Neal claimed, confidently

'Oh yeah? What about...' Sara thought, anxious to catch him in a lie – or at least an exaggeration '...that day we had Chinese food on the roof of the FBI?'

Neal rolled his eyes as if it were a no-brainer. 'Reeeally?' he asked, his speech slurred

Sara stared expectantly, figuring he was just stalling for time but Neal just let out an exasperated sigh at her lack of confidence in his amazing recall ability and carried on.

'A flowy white sleevess thing with a lil belt and dark pants - you had a chunky gold neck thing too' he continued with a smug look on his face

He sloppily tapped the side of his head with his finger in a triumphant gesture as he grinned a crooked smile 'Mind lika steel trap' he mumbled

'You are _so_ full of shit, Caffrey' she said as she allowed herself to laugh

'Assme anything' he insisted, feeling pretty damn sure of himself

Sara thought for a moment – trying to give him a bit of a challenge.

'Okay, what about the night you proposed?' she finally asked

'Saraaa, atleasss give me cha-enge' he answered, rolling his eyes exaggeratingly

'I knew it. You're bluffing' she said, suddenly having fun with the impromptu game

'Roy-al bluuue maternity dress – my favorite one' he recited without missing a beat

'All right wise guy, one more' she said playfully as she gazed into Neal's smiling eyes

They hadn't laughed like this in quite a while and the amusing little competition was helping her relax after a few days of brutal tension. She thought for a moment, remembering the eventful night Neal had told her he loved her for the very first time, the night that Hope had been conceived. It had been June's 75th birthday dinner and she had dressed to the nines hoping to impress her hostess. He'd had quite a bit to drink that night and she figured he'd had other things on his mind – other than noticing what she'd been wearing that is.

'What about the night of June's 75th birthday party?' she finally asked, her eyes alight

Neal laughed and she figured, once again, that he was deflecting, stalling for time.

'The niiight I realized I loved you?' he asked

She nodded and waited, figuring she finally had him up against the ropes. Neal got a very faraway look in his eyes as he seemingly struggled to recall that night.

'Thawas one of the besss nights of my life' he began

'Finally stumped you, huh?' she asked playfully

He shook his head, his eyes returning to hers.

'It was a beau-ful, shimmery emerawwl-d green dress, short and when you moooved... it... it sparkled' he finally said triumphantly, a smile returning to his face

'Who _are_ you? The _rainman_ of fashion?' she asked, laughing heartily

His face relaxed for an instant at the sound of her unguarded laughter and suddenly, he turned serious lowering his voice as he gently touched her face.

'Saraaa' he said with such urgency that her eyes were drawn back to those deep pools of blue. 'Donlet me push you 'way' he said to a surprised Sara

She shook her head in disbelief. 'Oh, Neal. Why _are _you pushing me away?'

He gave her that look, the one that left her totally defenceless, leaving her unable to argue with him, unable to fight back; that little boy look that said 'I know I've been stupid but please love me anyway, love me _despite _myself'

The next thing she knew, he was kissing her, warm and wet, a sloppy kiss that lacked finesse but was just so sweet and sincere that it was infinitely more appealing than when he turned on the Caffrey charm full blast. That look of pure innocence and sincerity was just so sweet that she gave in to him as Neal began to make whiny, needy sounds and continued to kiss her messily. She could taste the fine whiskey on his tongue and she began to relax as he continued to explore her mouth, the sounds continuing to escalate.

'Neal, Neal' she said as they finally came up for air 'You know what the doctor said - don't push yourself, don't put yourself in the position of starting something you can't finish'

He snorted in response, a sneaky smile on his lips as he took her hand and guided it down towards the edge of his sleep pants.

'Sayswhoo?' he asked with a grin, obviously pleased with himself

He'd begun to get _some_ limited sensation back and he was feeling particularly cocky (pun intended) as he waited for her reaction. Sara let her hand linger on the front of his sleep pants, noticing he had started the party without her and she gave a few hesitant strokes which only served to elicit louder, more insistent noises.

'Shhhh' she whispered as she brought a finger to his lips 'The kids are upstairs'

For all the weakness in the lower part of his body, Neal was still a strong, strapping guy and, without so much as a moment's hesitation and with great physical effort, he returned to lying on his back as he proceeded to lift his wife and set her down on top of him while she continued to argue.

'Neal, I don't want to hurt your chest' she said as he winced in pain – or was that pleasure

'You lemme worry about that' he whispered dismissively as he placed her firmly onto his hips, taking her legs and positioning them on either side of him, instantly creating friction they were both exceedingly grateful for.

It was her turn to let out a soft moan as she came into direct contact with his body. She sat up, looking down into his eyes, half closed from the whiskey and, she hoped, reacting to the sensation of her body pressed against his.

'Can you feel _that_?' she asked lovingly

He just looked back, sighing deeply, his breathing becoming uneven, an unmistakable look of pleasure in his hooded eyes.

'I missed youuuu' he admitted languorously as he began to pull at the nightshirt she was wearing

Although removing the garment was by no means rocket science, in his present state, it took a moment for him to figure out how to lift the damn thing over her head and he smiled impishly at the sight of her in naked splendor as he finally succeeded. He ran his hands across her belly, up to her breasts squeezing her nipples between his fingers and skillfully pinching them as Sara bit down on her lip, moaning in response.

'You're gonna... have to move' he murmured breathlessly as he took her into his mouth, making those sloppy wet noises again that were so uncouth, yet so hot

For a brief moment, she thought he was asking her to climb off of him, but she felt his hands placed firmly on her ass and she realized he was urging her to start grinding her hips, to start moving _against_ him; he didn't have full range of motion and if _she _didn't get something going, nothing was going to happen. She sat up and looked down at him, his hair hanging in his eyes making him look years younger and she could feel herself becoming very turned on by the sight of him - looking so unlike the way he normally looked when he was in full command of every inch of his body.

His upper body, however, was apparently _totally _under his control and he traced her neck, her breasts and ran his fingers teasingly over her belly button, his hand on a mission to reach between her legs and she let out a gasp as it finally reached its destination. He might have been impaired but he instinctively knew what to do and he began to expertly grind his fingers in just the right spot, watching as she began to squirm, letting out small, guttural grunts.

'Shhhh. The kids' he murmured teasingly, making fun of her earlier rebuke

'Shut up and keep doing that' she responded breathlessly

Neal obliged, enjoying the sight of his wife moving erratically against his grateful body, the moonlight shimmering on her hair as she gyrated, her breathing becoming more and more erratic as her eyes closed and her face became tense. She finally stilled, gasping for air and letting out a muffled scream as she climaxed. She instantly fell on top of him, feeling an overwhelming urge to hold him close as her orgasm lingered. Neal held her tight, seeing her through the last fleeting seconds and within moments, Sara felt his arms go limp, Neal's body drooping as he began to wither away both above and below the waist.

By the time she'd collected herself enough to sit up again, Neal was snoring, sound asleep.

TBC


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

Sara woke to the sound of the front door opening and closing. She still wasn't used to sleeping in the middle of the family room and it took her a moment to get her bearings as she moved away from Neal, whose body she had inadvertently curled up against during the night. She lay there, collecting her thoughts, remembering that Hope had mentioned an early brunch date with Cameron and she turned in bed to check the time: 8:45. The events of the previous night came flooding back and she glanced over at Neal noting that he wasn't looking any worse for wear. He lay there, his mouth open, flat on his back, snoring that soft snore she'd gotten used to hearing over the years whenever he'd had a drink the night before. He was still dead to the world, recuperating from the emotions of the funeral and the excitement of the previous night; she was thankful she'd given him a large glass of water when he'd come home to help him re-hydrate although from what Peter had said he had not ingested all that much in the way of alcohol.

He stirred next to her and suddenly his eyes were open.

'Hey there' she said sitting up in the bed as he squinted back

'Hey' he responded pulling himself up on his elbows 'What time is it?'

'A little before nine' Sara answered, scrutinizing his face

'What?' Neal asked; she was checking him out for 'something' he just wasn't sure what

'Nothing... I just... you feeling okay?' she asked

'A bit of a headache but... yeah, why?' he answered

Sara's eyes grew as she realized he wasn't remembering much from the night before. She gave him a smile and climbed out of bed, ready to face the day.

WCWCWC

Hope sat across from her boyfriend in a booth at the Pinto Café, the breakfast joint her parents had been taking her to since she was a little girl. She looked down at her Eggs Bennie, her appetite not quite what she thought it had been when she'd ordered and she turned her attention back to Cam who was digging into a short stack of blueberry pancakes with gusto.

'You know it's bad enough that _we'll_ be separated, I just think I need to stick around a little while longer to help my dad with the gallery' she said, her fork dancing in front of Cam's eyes

'But Hope, it's only early June, we don't know how he'll be doing by the time September rolls around' Cameron answered, between bites

'Well, even if he is up and walking, he's going to need some time to get over the trauma and if I could be there at the gallery full time, I know it would be a big help' she insisted

'He's got your uncle Peter...' Cam reminded her

'Yeah, but Uncle Peter's got enough to deal with on the business end, especially since we're making all these acquisitions to get the gallery back on its feet. Dad needs someone he can count on to help with the creative side of things' she said, finally taking a small bite of her meal

'Well, he does trust _you_ more than anyone else, that's for sure' Cam conceded

'My point exactly' she answered

'But Hope, he's going to be devastated if you don't start school as planned. Your parents worked really hard to save up enough money to send you to Carnegie Mellon; it means a lot to both of them' he reminded her

'That's just it, though – I'm just _delaying_ by a few months. I've already talked to the admissions office and they've promised me a spot for January' she said, her eyes dancing

Cameron looked up at his girlfriend; he didn't want to be giving her the wrong advice on such an important decision. Ever since the shooting, she'd been talking about the possibility of foregoing a September admission to university in favor of helping her dad for a few months at the gallery. Of course, selfishly, Cam would love to keep Hope around until Christmas instead of having to say goodbye at the end of the summer but getting into Carnegie Mellon had been a big deal and he didn't want her making any rash decisions that would be to her detriment. One thing he did know for certain was that her parents would fight her all the way – especially her dad.

'Why don't you talk to your uncle about it? He always gives great advice' he finally suggested

'Do you mind if we drive over there after breakfast?' she asked, agreeing to the excellent suggestion

Uncle Peter had given her advice her whole life and she trusted him; if she could sell _him _on this idea, she knew that she could eventually convince her dad as well.

WCWCWC

'Do you want to tell me what's going on? I feel like I'm the only person in the room who's not in on some joke' Neal said as he sipped his cup of coffee

Ever since he'd woken up, he'd been noticing Sara scrutinizing him; waiting for him to... he wasn't sure what. He sat with her at the kitchen table as she scurried around, getting some laundry on and putting breakfast on the table. Weekend brunches were usually his domain but since the shooting he'd had to put up with a scaled down version of his fabulous brunches in favor of toast or cereal which was about the best he could expect from Sara – not that she didn't have plenty of other, wonderful attributes, Neal thought as he suddenly had an unbidden yet vivid mental image of his wife looming over him, writhing with pleasure.

'Last night...' he began as her ears perked up

'What about it?' she asked innocently

'What happened exactly when I got home – you know, come to think of it, I don't even really remember _getting _home' Neal admitted, worry lines appearing suddenly on his forehead

'You don't remember?' she asked coyly

'Did we...? No' he said, pushing away the burgeoning thought

Sara counted to three.

'Did we... did I...? Just tell me Sara, what happened?' he said finally as random images began to flash in his muddled mind

'You just had a reaction to the scotch and the pain meds and you got a little bit... you know, loopy' she said waiting for him to come to his own conclusions

'Loopy? Naw, I didn't sing, did I?' he asked, suddenly embarrassed

'Broadway hits mostly' Sara said with a wry smile

Neal laughed nervously as he suddenly remembered standing in front of the toilet bowl with – wait a minute was that Peter standing next to him?

'Did I give Peter a wet kiss or... _please_ tell me that was a dream' he said, his eyes imploring her to set him straight

'Sorry, can't do that' she answered

'And did I manage to... did we...?' he asked wagging his finger back and forth between Sara and himself

Sara just looked at him, amused, as he struggled to recall the events that had taken place between the sheets.

'I did, didn't I?' he suddenly said, a twinge – well more than a twinge – of pride in his voice

Sara shrugged enjoying the show as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place

'Oh, yeah' he finally said with a big grin as he nodded, finally remembering a few choice details

'You were pretty pleased with yourself until you nodded off right before the main event' she said cryptically

'But you – you were good?' he asked, hoping he hadn't left his wife high and dry

'Well, I _am_ smiling...' she answered, finally breaking up and laughing heartily

'You were a regular Lothario, Neal and yes, don't worry, I fell asleep with a big grin on my face. You still got it, honey, so stop worrying. Everything's going to be just fine' she said as she patted his hand and winked.

She rose to get them a refill on the coffee and Neal watched her cute little ass as she stood at the kitchen counter; it would appear he still had the magic touch.

WCWCWC

'Hi honey, I'm so glad you called' said Elizabeth as she opened the door to the young couple 'Come on in, Peter's in the back yard'

Hope and Cameron stepped in and followed El out, finding Peter sitting on the patio with a glass of lemonade and the newspaper on his lap. He almost never went in to the gallery on Sundays, letting the part-timers like Cam cover the store hours and he enjoyed the down time with El, recuperating from a busy workweek, especially these days, with Neal away.

'I thought you guys were working today' he said as he stood to greet them

'Not until noon. Max is there this morning' Hope said as she walked over and kissed her godfather

'Sit, sit' he said as he pointed to the nearby chairs

Elizabeth joined them, pouring everyone a glass of lemonade; it was a gorgeous early June morning and the weather was getting warm enough to actually sit outside and enjoy the sunshine.

'Is everything okay? Is it your dad?' Peter asked, suddenly concerned as to the reason for her impromptu visit

'No, no, Dad's fine. Well actually, better than fine, if the singing I heard last night is any indication' she said

Out of respect for her parents, she didn't mention the other unusual noises she'd heard coming from downstairs the night before – noises which were unmistakeable and just a little embarrassing when it came to your parents.

'Yeah, well, he had a strange reaction after he had a couple of drinks. Hopefully, he's feeling better today' Peter said, making a mental note to call Neal when the kids left

'Uncle Peter, I need your advice on something' she began

Peter listened intently as Hope told him all about her plans to put off going to university until the January semester, explaining her motivations and insisting that she was doing this of her own free will in an attempt to support her dad.

'... and I checked with the admissions office and they have a January entrance and I wouldn't be putting my scholarship at risk or anything...' she continued, without taking as much as a single breath

'Honey, your dad's an adult and he has me and your mom to support him and I'm sure he'll be back on his feet in no time' Peter explained

Hope was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her; the last thing she should be doing was putting off her dreams in some warped sense of responsibility for what had happened to her dad.

'That's just it, though. We don't know how long it's going to be before he's back to his old self. It could be months. Mom has her own job and ... and I know Dad trusts me with the creative side of things. I could help with commissions, I know what he likes and he could ease into things, slowly'

'Hope, this is all very selfless of you but...' Peter said before she interrupted

'Uncle Peter, I _need_ to do this. What happened to Dad, well...' she stopped for a moment 'it changed how I feel about life. I want to be able to spend some time with him and share this with him before I go off to school for four years and only get to see him a few times a year'

Peter looked at his beautiful goddaughter, struggling to do the right thing. He knew Neal would hate the idea of her putting her life on hold for him but he also understood that Hope wanted to do this for herself, not just for him and that after what they'd been through together, she needed to have proper closure before going on with the rest of her life.

'And you _really_ think you're doing this for the right reasons?' he asked as he leaned in to peer into her eyes

'I do. I _need_ to do this Uncle Peter... for him _and_ for me' she stated unequivocally

'Well, if that's what you really want, I'll support you' he said, taking her hand

TBC


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

On Tuesday morning, Sara and Neal got into the car and drove to Bellevue Hospital for Neal's first follow-up checkup. He'd been making giant strides since June's funeral and Sara had noticed that he could stand for longer periods of time now, sometimes up to three or four seconds before shifting his weight to and from his wheelchair. Following his spill the week before, he'd become somewhat skittish, feeling the need to latch on to something as he transferred his weight. But overall, his confidence seemed to be slowly returning as the days passed. Sara knew that Neal lacked patience in such things and she didn't want him to get overconfident or take any unnecessary chances that might lead to a fall and, heaven forbid, another injury.

However, his spirits were up and she was thankful for that; she'd seen glimpses of the old Neal throughout the past few days and she'd actually seen him laugh on a couple of occasions which was a welcome sight and a promising development. He was scheduled to have a scan and tests followed by a physiotherapy session and finally, a meeting with Dr. Miller in the afternoon – an all day marathon – and she anticipated that Neal would be exhausted by the end of the day. With exhaustion often came a lull in Neal's optimism and she braced herself for an eventful day as they headed out.

He agreed to let her push him in his chair; he usually hated to have to count on others but the physical effort was daunting and they had a lot of ground to cover. The building which housed the physiotherapy department was all the way across the hospital campus and after the initial tests, the couple made their way over to meet with Clive.

'Neal! Great to see you out and about' said the young man as he greeted them in the reception area

They had discussed moving on to some exercises using more sophisticated equipment and Neal was more than anxious to make a go of it. So far, over the past week since he'd been released from hospital, his therapy had consisted of keeping his legs moving, his muscles supple so that when he ultimately began walking, his lower body would be up to the task of supporting his weight. Now, he was facing the daunting task of standing and actually moving and even though Neal was excited at the prospect, he was concerned he might not be up to the challenge.

'Sara, if you don't mind waiting here, I'll take Neal in for his session. I promise to bring him back in about forty five minutes. Oh, we have a small cafeteria right down that hall' he said as he pointed, taking over the reins and wheeling 'Edna' the rest of way

'Don't overdo it, honey' Sara cautioned as she leaned in to kiss Neal

'I won't' he answered with a warm smile

The men disappeared behind the door to the exercise room as Sara peeked in the window to watch. There were exercise balls, bars and a variety of specialized equipment designed to cater to all kinds of injuries. It looked like any other gym, just modified, and Sara watched as a half-dozen patients worked at different stations. She pulled away as she saw Clive enter the room, pushing Neal in, suddenly feeling like a voyeur and she forced herself to go down the hall to get a cup of coffee. She knew that Neal wouldn't take kindly to her lurking around watching his every move and she reluctantly pulled her eyes away.

'So...' Neal said as Clive parked his chair next to a set of parallel bars

'So, we take things one at a time' said Clive calmly as he put the brakes on Neal's chair

'I know you're meeting Dr. Miller later but we did get some excellent results from that test you just took' he added

Neal thought back to the young tech who'd spent the better part of twenty minutes poking small pins all over his hips and legs, measuring his reaction to the stimuli with a nearby fancy-shmancy machine.

'Between that and the fact that you're standing on your own for a few seconds at a time, I think you're finally ready to make a start and take a few steps' added Clive

'Alright!' Neal answered excitedly

As excited as he was at the prospect of walking again, he couldn't deny he was feeling apprehensive but more than anything, he had high hopes. As he'd begun to get stronger, he hadn't needed his wife's help quite as much for his routine needs and that had given him some confidence as his faith in his abilities had slowly begun to return.

'So, this is the drill' continued Clive 'We're going to start with some of the strength building and we'll finish up here at the bars and we'll let you take a little walk before we set you free'

Neal nodded in agreement at the plan for their workout session.

'Let's do it' he exclaimed

WCWCWC

Sara sat in the small cafeteria sipping bad coffee and reading e-mails on her phone. Neal had become more insistent that she consider returning to work and surprisingly, she was actually considering the idea. He was able to see to his bathroom needs on his own now and she wasn't as worried about him taking a tumble now that she'd put everything within arms' reach in the kitchen. It made for a very cluttered kitchen counter but at least she didn't worry that he would attempt some heroic feat by trying to get a hold of something that was just out of his reach, like he'd done the last time.

She looked around, noting that there were a few patients sitting around with loved ones, having an early lunch and just chilling, probably on their way in or out of their appointments.

What a journey this was turning out to be!

She noticed a child of no more than ten or eleven years old, sitting with a young woman. The young girl was half-sitting, half-lying in a contraption that was a cross between a wheelchair and a bed. She seemed to have some very limited movement in her upper body but she had a luminous smile as she talked to the older women, whom Sara guessed was her mom.

She could overhear their conversation and despite her efforts to keep her mind on the e-mails she'd been reading, she couldn't help herself and she began to clue in to the unfortunate circumstances which had led the child to the physiotherapy wing of the hospital.

Before long, she had pieced together that the family had been involved in a serious car accident and that the little girl had severed her spinal cord. She was facing a lifetime in that chair, so different from the life she must have been planning just a few months before. Sara listened, mesmerized, realizing that the woman was the child's physiotherapist and not her mom. The little girl confided that she worried about her parents and the guilt they were carrying from what had happened to her in the accident. Sara was amazed by the young girl's maturity and her thoughtfulness as she selflessly expressed concern for her parents' wellbeing when she, herself, was in such dire straits. The therapist listened, as did Sara and suddenly, she felt tears welling up in her eyes at the courage displayed by this young girl; she thought of her own kids, of Neal and how lucky they were to have each other.

She wiped a tear and glanced at her watch, realizing it was time to meet up with Neal and she made a hasty exit towards the exercise room.

WCWCWC

Neal watched helplessly as his legs began to shake uncontrollably – he'd noticed it happening on a couple of occasions and hadn't wanted to say anything to Sara so she wouldn't worry. In fact, it had happened in bed the night before just before he'd fallen asleep and he'd glanced nervously over at his wife noticing that, thankfully, she'd already drifted off.

'Has that been happening a lot?' asked Clive

'Yeah, a few times over the last few days' Neal admitted as he glanced up with apprehension at his therapist

'Don't worry about it; it's just your muscles reconnecting with your spinal cord and your body's not quite able to control the movement yet. It's a good sign, actually' Clive said matter-of-factly

Neal smiled feebly. It was very disconcerting to watch his legs quiver uncontrollably and he really didn't want it happening when he was in the middle of a discussion with a customer at the gallery or while he was having dinner with his family. For a man whose body had been a finely tuned instrument for most of his life, it was terrifying to give over that control – even if it was a temporary occurrence.

'You ready to tackle those bars before you head out?' the therapist asked

Although he was eager to take a few tentative steps, Neal had been apprehending this moment all morning, concerned that he wouldn't be up to the challenge. He wheeled himself over to where Clive stood, and followed directions, locking Edna's wheels and reaching over to grab the two bars, one on either side of his body. Of course, he'd been standing practically since the accident, just long enough to transfer his weight to or from the chair but this was different – this was walking – and suddenly Neal feared his legs wouldn't cooperate on the elusive mission. He glanced towards the door which led to the hallway; for some reason, he didn't want Sara to be watching as he lay himself bare, so helpless and vulnerable. Reassured, he pulled himself up with a grunt, feeling his legs wobble slightly at having to bear his weight.

'Excellent!' Clive said 'Now just get some balance; hold on to the bars for a few seconds'

Neal swallowed hard, his heart beating wildly wondering when the prospect of taking a few steps had become such an overwhelming notion.

'Once you feel your legs are stable, I want you to try to move your right leg forward. You can just let it slide if you want, don't try lifting it for now' Clive explained as he stood nearby

As instructed, Neal stared down at his foot, screaming at it to do what he wanted it to do and amazingly, the leg reacted by doing exactly what it had been told. His foot moved about four inches forward and Neal let out a sigh of relief as he watched with trepidation.

'Look at that, Neal! Your first step' Clive continued, encouraging his patient

'Now talk to your left leg, see if it'll listen' he urged

It was one thing to let his foot slip forward as he stood perfectly balanced but now he had to transfer his weight onto his right foot in order to bring the left one forward and Neal stared seemingly forever at his legs before he attempted the movement. He white knuckled the bars and held his breath as he attempted the daunting manoeuvre, watching with wonder as his left foot pulled ahead of his right.

He let out a guttural laugh at the sight and listened while Clive continued with his words of encouragement.

'You're doing great, Neal. Maybe a couple more, what do you think?' he suggested

Now that Neal was witnessing what his heavy legs could accomplish, he was encouraged and he gladly repeated the movement, this time with a little more confidence, once again letting out a nervous giggle at the promising results.

He wanted to keep going but Clive all but demanded that he stop after having repeated the whole sequence three more times. Neal was drenched in sweat and his wheelchair was brought closer as he let himself drop, exhausted, surprisingly appreciative to have Edna there for support. By the time Clive wheeled him out, Sara was returning, a beautiful smile on her face.

Seeing her husband there was one of the most amazing sights she could possibly imagine.

TBC


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

'What about that corner over there?' Peter asked as Mozzie stood perched on the step ladder

'This one has a wide angle – it'll cover all the way to there' Mozzie responded, pointing

'I really don't know why we didn't do this in the first place' Peter commented as he took in the sight of the five newly-installed cameras littered throughout the gallery

'I mentioned it to Neal over a year ago' said Mozzie as he stepped down and accepted the cup of aromatic tea from Peter's hand 'but he had other things on his mind back then and he just kept putting it off'

'Well, now that we've got every inch of this gallery covered, we can record everything that's going on' Peter said

'So, have you heard from Boy Wonder since Saturday night?' Mozzie asked

'He called on Sunday morning to apologize for serenading us all the way home but I haven't heard from him since.' Peter said 'He didn't come in to work yesterday and he had all those appointments at the hospital today'

'It was nice to see him relaxing the other night' Mozzie admitted as he thought back to the events following the funeral

'You know I would never admit it to _him_, but he has a damn good singing voice' said Peter, laughing

'I know. We once pulled a con in Dusseldorf where Neal posed as an opera singer...' Mozzie began as he saw the dubious look Peter was giving him

'... of course, that was a long time ago' Mozzie concluded, noting he didn't have the required audience for his little story

'Well, he'll be back tomorrow so I guess we'll hear what the doctor had to say' Peter concluded

The door to the shop opened, the cheerful bell heralding the arrival of another customer.

WCWCWC

'You look in excellent spirits' Dr. Miller exclaimed as she joined Sara and Neal in the small examination room 'How are you feeling?'

'Good' Neal admitted 'but I find I fade fast'

'That's normal, Neal. It's only been two weeks since the shooting and you've had major surgery since then – to say nothing of all the exertion of having to get in and out of that chair a dozen times a day'

'Well, what he's not telling you is that he's actually gone back to work part-time' Sara said, ratting out her husband

Neal rolled his eyes and gave Sara an annoyed look.

'It's not physically demanding work in the least...' Neal said by way of explanation

'Well, you'll want to pace yourself, Neal' Dr. Miller said as she helped him out of his chair and onto the examination table

'Let's look at those two wounds to start with' she said as she lifted the hospital gown he'd been asked to slip into

'Very good' she said as her fingers lingered on the wound in his abdomen '... that's healing well'

She pulled him onto his side as he grimaced, anxious to check out the messier of the two wounds, the exit wound in his back.

'Wow. That's looking good too. How bad is the pain?' she asked

'Not too bad, actually. I've cut down to half the dosage, like you recommended and it seems to be enough to keep me going between doses' Neal said as he struggled to sit up

Dr. Miller walked over to make some notes on Neal's chart, piping up as she read.

'I see you had an unfortunate reaction to mixing alcohol with your meds on the weekend. I thought we covered that before you left the hospital last week' she said in rebuke

Neal looked sheepish as he glanced over at Sara who decided she was staying well out of that one.

'Well, I thought if I cut down on my dose, I could have a few drinks but...' Neal admitted, embarrassed

'Yeah, I guess you figured out that wasn't a very successful strategy, huh?' she asked as she continued writing

Sara gave Neal a knowing look; his lack of judgement in that particular situation had ultimately resulted in a reconciliation _and_ an explosive orgasm to boot so giving him a hard time about the unfortunate incident had been the last thing on _her_ mind.

'Well, your immune system seems to be holding out – but don't push yourself too much. Viruses love to attack you when you're overtired. And more good news, that test we did this morning shows that you're up to 19% feeling in your legs and 23% in your hips. Have you been noticing a difference in the sensation in your pelvic area?' she asked, her eyes still down on her paper

Neal and Sara exchanged a smile as he answered. 'Yeah, I seem to have more feeling in my... hips' he said, stifling a laugh

The exchange was not lost on Dr. Miller who finally brought her eyes up to look at her patient.

'Well, don't overdo _that _either' she said knowingly as her eyes went from Neal to Sara

'So, any issues with your physiotherapy?' she continued without missing a beat

'No. I take it I have to start coming here now for my sessions' Neal asked

'Three times a week is optimal but don't stop doing what your therapist has recommended you do at home on alternate days' she added

'Any questions?' she asked, wrapping up

Neal shook his head in response.

'Alright then, I want to see you back here in another week'

WCWCWC

By the time they made it back to White Plains, it was late afternoon and Neal was exhausted but in excellent spirits. It had been good news all around and he was feeling optimistic about his eventual recovery. The house was quiet when they walked in, the kids still not having returned from school, and in a fit of whimsy, Neal grabbed Sara as they got into the house pulling her onto his lap and wheeling them both to the back of the house as she shrieked.

'Neal! What are you doing?' she said, giggling

'Well, you've been pushing me around all day, I thought I'd give you a little ride!' he said as he stopped and turned his attention to his passenger

Sara had her arms firmly around his neck, afraid of tumbling off and he moved his arms from Edna's wheels to her waist, pulling her in to him and delighting in hearing her laugh. He kissed her soundly and watched as her face relaxed.

'If I'd known how much fun this was going to be, I would have asked for a ride a long time ago' she said, her voice languid

He smiled fondly at his wife.

'We _are_ going to get through this, aren't we?' he said, a sudden look of worry in his eyes

'Without a doubt' she answered emphatically as she continued to hold him near

'So' she said, finally standing 'what are we doing about dinner?'

WCWCWC

Wednesday had a wonderfully ordinary feel to it as both Neal and Sara went back to work – well at least for part of the day. Sara didn't want Neal overdoing things and she suggested that he spend the morning at the gallery while she went in to catch up on things at Sterling Bosch.

They had a busy evening ahead of them and she didn't want him getting too tuckered out before they got to the end of the day. Liam's birthday celebration, which had been postponed for obvious reasons, had been rescheduled for that night and it consisted of dinner out followed by a hockey game at Madison Square Garden as the Rangers held on by the skin of their teeth in the final round of the Eastern Conference finals. It had cost Neal a bundle but he'd managed to secure tickets to the game for all four of them. Sara and Hope weren't the most avid of hockey fans but Liam had been thrilled at the prospect of the whole family going out together and considering his actual birthday celebration had been a bust, it was the least they could do for him.

Throughout the morning, Sara reconnected with her staff, summoning everyone to a staff meeting where she caught up on the most recent recoveries as well as any upcoming cases. It felt good to be back doing something 'normal' after two weeks of worrying and she enjoyed the friendly banter as her team welcomed her back.

Neal, on the other hand, was thrilled to be back at the gallery and he wheeled himself around the main floor as he took in Mozzie handiwork.

'Moz did a great job' he said, in admiration 'I really don't know why I held off on doing this'

'I think you were just so focused on the excitement of having the gallery in the beginning' said Peter in response

'Still...' Neal pondered '...if it wasn't for those cameras out in the alley, you wouldn't have had a positive ID on those guys'

'Well, that's all behind us now' said Peter as he put down his pen, temporarily dropping what he'd been working on

'You know, I can't believe that guy from Sterling Bosch was involved in this' Neal added, wistfully

'He's bad news. He can't get a job to save his life now that he's done time' Peter said

Neal thought about how lucky he was to be living the dream after working so hard at messing up his life all those years. He shook off the feeling, suddenly excited to share his news with Peter.

'Guess what?' he said, sounding like an exuberant five year old

Peter cocked his eyebrows in anticipation.

'I took a few steps in physio yesterday' Neal exclaimed, proud of his feat

'You're kidding!' Peter said

'Look, let me show you' Neal said excitedly

He was anxious to show his best friend what he could do and he reasoned that a little more practice couldn't hurt.

'Neal. I don't know if that's such a good idea' Peter warned, always the voice of reason

'Look, we'll do this safely, okay' Neal agreed, his enthusiasm beginning to wane slightly in response to Peter's reluctance

He wheeled himself over to the counter and struggled to get out of the chair as he leaned on its edge.

'I'll hold on to the counter with one hand and you can support me on the other side. I'm telling you, I took about eight steps yesterday' Neal continued as he finally stood

Peter looked skeptically at Neal who was doing a great job of conning him but seeing the exhilaration in his eyes, he finally gave in with an exasperated sigh. This was obviously important to Neal and really, what could go wrong when he was standing right there.

'Alright' Peter finally said as he took Neal's elbow helping to support his weight 'Make sure your chair is locked so it doesn't roll away when you sit back down'

'Already locked' Neal said with assurance as he struggled with getting his balance

As he'd done the day before, he waited a moment to feel his legs stabilizing beneath him before turning his attention to taking his first step.

'Alright' he said, breathless 'Now, watch this'

He furrowed his brow, concentrating more than Peter had ever seen him do, and taking a deep breath, he willed his leg to move which it did to Peter's great delight.

'Wow! That's amazing!' he exclaimed as he took in Neal's beaming face

Neal smiled as he let his right arm lean on the counter, feeling Peter's strong arm holding him up.

'I want to do one more' he said, proudly as he struggled to move his left leg

The attempted movement set off a chain of events, and he wavered causing him to go slightly off-kilter as his arm slipped on the granite counter and the next thing he knew, his legs were shaking, suddenly unable to hold him up as he felt himself slip, desperately trying to hold on to the smooth countertop surface for balance. His body twisted to the right as Peter fought desperately to keep him from falling and just before a most inelegant and unavoidable tumble to the ground, his chin hit the edge of the counter with force sending throbbing pain along his jaw and blood all over the front of his pristine shirt.

'Shit' he screamed as he finally hit the floor in a most inelegant pile

Peter looked on with concern. He was going to be in deep trouble when Sara returned to collect her husband.

TBC


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

Sara Ellis sauntered into the Raphael Gallery on a mission to collect her husband for family date night. What she found instead was Cameron Armstrong attentively seeing to a customer, finalizing a sale as she stood nearby and waited not so patiently for him to wrap up.

'Thanks for your business' Cam finally said as he escorted the older gentleman to the door and saw him out. He hesitated for a moment before turning to face Sara, bracing for what he knew would be the onslaught of questions that the two cowardly men had left him to face alone.

'Hi Mrs. Caffrey' he said in mock cheerfulness as he finally turned to look at her

'Cam? What are you doing here? I left Neal here with Peter' she said with concern trying to keep from moving up the scale to 'alarm'

'Yeah...' Cam said tentatively 'They had to... run an errand' he added vaguely

He made his way to the counter, hoping he'd managed to clean up the remnants of blood from Neal's untimely tumble and he grabbed for a small piece of paper.

'Mr. Burke left a note for you' he said meekly as he handed it over

He'd insisted that he didn't want to be the one to blurt out that his 'father-in-law' was on his way to the emergency room to get his chin sewn up; the least the two spineless runaways could do was to leave a note explaining things in their own words.

Sara took the small piece of paper from his hand and read: _'Neal had a little mishap; took him to Bellevue Hospital'_

'A little mishap?' Sara cried out, pretty well exactly as Cameron had expected she would

'What happened?' she asked, looking him squarely in the eye

Now, looking directly into Sara Ellis' emerald eyes and not telling her the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth was an almost impossible feat but Cam had been around the Caffrey clan long enough to know the wrath of Sara and he steeled himself to give a sanitized version of the events that had led him to being there that afternoon. After almost 18 months, Cam was now a card-carrying member of the 'shut up club' when it came to sharing only what was necessary with the Caffrey women; he'd seen Neal master the task and he'd been taking notes as it related to both Sara and Hope for as many months as he'd been around.

'I have no idea...' he fibbed, trying to keep well away from her eventual outburst 'They just asked me to give you this note'

Sara let out an unladylike sound, a combination of a huff and a groan and she turned on her heels, leaving Cam standing there, not daring to move. As he heard the door close behind her, he finally let out a long sigh of relief; he didn't want to be anywhere near the place when Sara finally learned the truth - and eventually blew up at both his bosses.

WCWCWC

Neal and Peter sat side by side in the emergency room of Bellevue Hospital, waiting patiently for Neal to be seen by the ER doctor on duty. Neal stared ahead, holding clean gauze under his chin to keep the bleeding from doing any more damage to his beautiful pale blue shirt which was, no doubt, totally ruined. Peter sat alongside him, his eyes darting towards the door to the emergency room every few seconds, waiting nervously for Sara's inevitable arrival.

They looked like a couple of young boys who'd been summoned to the principal's office as they awaited the tongue lashing they were about to receive. For Neal, the prospect of having stitches put in paled in comparison to Sara's reaction once she eventually heard that Neal had tried to show off and had ended up further mangling his already beat-up body.

Peter cursed under his breath, finally giving in and directing his ire at his partner.

'Why do I even listen to you?' he finally said

'Peter, I did it just yesterday... without any problems' Neal countered, still trying to cling to the flawed notion that he'd somehow acted responsibly

'Yeah, in a physiotherapy room, holding on firmly to bars with your physiotherapist standing right beside you... not... not trying to cling to a slippery countertop!' Peter said, his voice escalating

'Alright! Alright!' Neal exclaimed, _knowing_ yet not wanting to admit that the whole thing was a stupid error in judgement on his part

Peter let out a sigh; he knew what was coming and he knew he had to share the blame for what had happened to Neal. He'd had plenty of practice trying to talk Neal out of his hare-brained schemes over the years and yet, his best friend always seemed to talk him into these situations, even now.

'Sara's gonna go bonkers' Neal admitted, his true fears peeking through the veneer

'Yeah...' Peter reluctantly agreed 'She'll be furious at _both _of us'

Neal turned to look at Peter; they were in this together, for better or for worse. Whatever idiotic decision Neal had made in an attempt to impress his best friend, Peter had been complicit and they would have to stick together if they wanted to survive Sara's fury.

Peter seemed to read Neal's mind and he smiled in empathy; suddenly, they were both laughing at their predicament just as the north wind blew and Sara appeared in front of them, hands firmly on her hips, eyes a mix of worry and anger.

'Honey, hi' Neal said in a conciliatory tone as he made a move to grab for her hand

'Really, Neal' she said sternly as she towered over him 'What were you thinking?'

Now that she could see for herself that he was in no immediate danger, the anger she was feeling surpassed her concern for his wellbeing and she began to lash out in the only way she knew how.

'Why do I have a feeling this could have totally been prevented' she began

'Well... I just wanted to _show_ Peter...' Neal began

'You mean _show off_?' she interrupted, her face stern

Peter stood next to Sara, coming to Neal's rescue. 'Sara, Neal was being very responsible, he was holding on to the counter...'

Again, Sara didn't give him a chance to finish as she cut him off.

'Responsible? Peter, how could you let him talk you into this? I swear, sometimes you two, you're worse than, worse than...'

'Neal Caffrey!' someone called out in the distance, summoning Neal to head back to one of the examination rooms

Peter made a move to grab Edna's handles but Sara just glared at him and he retreated, sitting back down and letting her take control of the reins. She let out a flustered sigh and began to push Neal's chair towards the nurse who was patiently waiting for them to make their way back as Peter stared at his buddy being wheeled away.

WCWCWC

'That was Cam' Hope said as she hung up the phone 'Apparently, Dad cut his chin at the gallery'

'What? How?' asked Liam from the nearby kitchen table as he attempted to finish up his homework

'He was showing Uncle Peter some manoeuvre he'd done in physio and he slipped and hit it on the granite counter. Cam says Mom was furious' she shared with her brother

'What about tonight?' he asked 'We have tickets to the game'

His birthday celebration had already been pre-empted once and he'd been looking forward to dinner out at his favorite restaurant followed by the big game at Madison Square Garden.

'Don't worry; I don't think it's serious. I'm sure Mom will call and let us know what's going on' she said as Raffie let out a sharp bark

'Look, get ready and I'll take Raffie out and we'll see what happens' Hope said, in full big-sister mode

WCWCWC

'Mr. Caffrey!' the doctor said as he entered the cubicle

Neal had seen a lot of doctors over the past few weeks and he prided himself on his excellent memory but he couldn't place this guy to save his life.

'I'm Dr. Mercer. I was on duty when they brought you in after the shooting. Of course, you weren't conscious at the time' he said as he made his way over to check Neal's newest injury

'This is my wife, Sara' Neal said as he reached for her hand, still trying to temper her annoyance

'Ah, the lady who was on her way back from Chicago' said Dr. Mercer as he recalled the circumstances of that night

Sara looked on in surprise at the doctor's recollection of the details of their family life. He took Neal's arm, inviting him to stand and move to the examination table.

'Are you able to stand and get up on that table?' he asked

Neal nodded meekly as he pulled himself up with the doctor's help.

'So what happened here?' he asked as he removed the gauze Neal had been clutching under his chin, revealing a gash about two inches long

'I... slipped and hit my chin on a granite counter' Neal admitted, none too proudly as Sara looked on, concern returning at the sight of his injury

'Yeah, that's a nasty little cut' Dr. Mercer observed 'We'll clean that up and have you stitched up in no time. So tell me, how's that daughter of yours?' he asked as he began to prepare the necessary gear to carry out the procedure.

Neal and Sara exchanged puzzled looks at the question.

'I met her on that night and she was pretty shook up about the shooting; I told her she'd probably saved your life' he said with a kind smile

Sara's demeanour softened at the doctor's interest in their family.

'She's doing pretty well, considering' she answered as Neal smiled fondly

So much had happened in the past two weeks and everything had happened in rapid succession – June's passing, the shooting, the funeral, Neal's recovery. Hope was taking it all in stride, a credit to the strength of her character.

Neal's cut was cleaned, anesthetized and stitched up and within twenty minutes, he and Sara were back in the waiting room where Peter stood to greet them.

'Everything okay?' he asked anxiously

'Yeah. It's fine' answered Neal, pointing to the fresh bandage on his chin 'Eight stitches'

Peter looked up at Sara. 'Look, I'm really sorry this happened' he said, his voice full of regret

'Let's forget it' she said as she reverted to a gentler version of herself 'Thanks for getting him here'

Now that Neal was okay, she'd begun to relax although her annoyance at the men's stupidity continued to linger.

Neal wanted to make good on his commitment to Liam and there was just enough time to get home, collect the kids and make it to their five thirty dinner reservations near the Garden - if they hurried. The threesome made their way out of the emergency department, all of them hoping it would be the last time they paid the place a visit for a very long time.

WCWCWC

Sara and Neal drove all the way back to White Plains to pick up the kids who were anxiously waiting on the front porch for their arrival. Raphael stood between them, tail wagging furiously, obviously under the mistaken impression he was going along on this outing. Hope put him back in the house and locked up before following her brother to the car where they took place in the back seat, anxious to hear what had happened to their dad.

'Here's that clean shirt you asked for' Hope said as she threw it up ahead to where her dad sat

Details were scarce and the twosome was quick to deduce that the incident had caused some tension between their parents; they quickly moved on to safer subjects as they made their way back across the bridge. Sara had already had a go at Neal and there was nothing left to say; she decided it was time to take the high road. Why should Liam have to suffer her bad mood on his special night?

The important thing was that Neal was alright even though he would likely be awfully sore once the anaesthetic wore off.

TBC


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

'So, how did the rest of your evening go?' Peter asked as he took a sip of the excellent espresso

The only time he got to savor one these days was when Elizabeth wasn't around; she was always on his case about his caffeine intake and he took advantage of the days he was at the gallery to indulge in a nice hot cup of his favorite caffeinated beverage.

'You know, it turned out to be a really great night' Neal answered, obviously pleased with the turn of events

Sitting around the gallery making small talk with Peter over a cup of coffee had become one of the highlights of Neal's day. Being at the gallery had always been inspiring - being surrounded by beautiful art, hobnobbing with the customers, sharing his extensive knowledge of the greats - but ever since Peter had come to work for him, he could add 'hanging out with his best friend' to the list of his favorite things about the Raphael.

'And the Rangers won!' Peter added; he was always up on all the game scores

'They did; that was the icing on the cake. Liam was... well he was really happy that we were finally all together' Neal said 'You know, I've been noticing a lot of changes in him lately. He certainly isn't our little boy anymore'

Peter nodded in agreement. 'I've noticed that too. The way he stepped up at the funeral to push Edna up the ramp... he's just really thoughtful and discreet'

'Well, _not_ so discreet when he's rooting for his favorite team' Neal laughed as he recalled how Liam practically lost his voice from cheering the night before

'Your chin looks a lot better... not so swollen. How does it feel?' Peter asked as he scrutinized his best friend's latest injury

'It's sore but... compared to what I've been through the last two weeks, it's the least of my worries' Neal answered

'How are things with Sara?' Peter asked, recalling how she'd swooped in like a hurricane at the hospital

'Oh, you know Sara, her bark is worse than her bite' Neal said, surprisingly unruffled 'She says what she has to say and then it's done. I just have to remember to duck when she swings'

Neal grew quiet for a moment. 'You know, I'd never tell _her_ this, but she's usually right'

Peter raised his eyebrows as he reflected on what Neal had said. The two of them had gotten themselves into so many scrapes over the years and Elizabeth and Sara had always put up with their shenanigans.

'Peter...' Neal began, hesitating 'I need to ask a favor'

'Anything, buddy, you know that' Peter said as he looked intently at his friend

'Well, it's really intense when Sara comes to therapy with me... I know she just wants to be there to support me but... sometimes I... I feel like, well, she worries so much and I hate that she has to see me like that' Neal admitted

'You want _me_ to start taking you to therapy?' Peter asked

'Just for a couple of weeks. I want to surprise her for our anniversary and I thought if I could work on stuff without her being around...' Neal said, his voice faraway

'What? You want to take her dancing?' Peter said jokingly before realizing his comment wasn't very funny... or appropriate

Neal just looked at him wistfully as he toyed with the sides of his wheelchair. Taking Sara dancing for their anniversary would be a dream come true but it would have to wait another year. He could, however, still surprise her with whatever progress he'd be making between now and then.

'Sorry Neal. I just... I keep putting my foot in it' said Peter, finally realizing how insensitive his comment had been

'It's okay; _please_ don't ever stop teasing me. I just want things to get back to normal as soon as possible' he said

Peter smiled at Neal's response; he'd been wanting to let him in on the discussion he'd had with Hope and he figured that this was as good a time as any to bring it up.

'Neal, there's something I need to give you a heads up about' he said with apprehension

Neal looked up, curious.

'Hope came to see me; she's hell-bent on putting off school until January so she can stay behind and help with the gallery' Peter confided

'No!' Neal said without hesitation 'That's not going to happen'

'Listen, she's really thought this through, she's contacted the university and they have a January semester – and she's checked that her scholarship won't be affected' Peter explained

'No, Peter!' Neal repeated, adamant 'I'm not going to let her put off starting her new life because of what happened to me'

'Neal, I think you should hear her out. I get the sense that she's doing this as much for herself as she's doing it for you' Peter said

Sara and Neal had worked hard to save up enough money to send Hope to school in Pittsburgh. Neal had always dreamed of a formal education in the arts – he'd learned everything he knew through the school of hard knocks – and he wanted Hope to have all the advantages he hadn't had.

He brooded as he thought of what Peter had just said; Hope had dreams and ambitions and talent to boot and all he'd ever wanted for his daughter was that she live a happy and full life and if that meant letting her go, as hard as that was going to be, he was happy to do it.

Peter realized he had just dropped a bombshell on Neal and retreated for a few minutes, giving him time to process what he'd just told him. Suddenly, the door to the gallery swung open and one of their regular customers walked in; instantly Neal reverted to his old self, mask firmly in place.

'Mrs. Collins! What brings you in today?' he said with his dazzling smile

WCWCWC

'I don't know Neal, it doesn't feel right' Sara said into the phone

'Honey, he's offered and we're just ten minutes from the hospital. That way, you can keep working until it's time to come and pick me up' Neal reasoned, having prepared his arguments prior to picking up the phone

'And you don't feel like I'm deserting you?' Sara asked, somewhat worried

'Of course not! It's just therapy, Sara. I'm in and out in forty five minutes and that way, you don't have to disrupt your day' Neal said, the voice of calm and reason

Sara wavered at the other end – she wanted to be there for Neal but she could sure use the time to catch up on the mountain of paperwork that sat on her desk staring back at her.

'And you're sure you'll be okay if I only pick you up later this afternoon?' she asked, tentative

'Positive' Neal said, his voice clear 'There's _nothing_ to worry about; I learned my lesson yesterday, I won't do anything stupid... I promise'

He could feel he'd just about clinched the deal and he finally moved in for the kill.

'Sara, don't worry about me; I'll be fine' he crooned as he lowered his voice, something he knew Sara couldn't resist 'You've been there every minute of every day since this all happened. Take a break, okay, and I'll see you later'

'Alright' she finally relented 'But be careful'

'Always' he whispered in his sexy Neal Caffrey voice

WCWCWC

The second physiotherapy session seemed to go a lot more smoothly than the first; for one thing, Neal knew what he was in for and his confidence was on the rise as he thought ahead to the progress he could make over the next few weeks. Peter lingered nearby, alternating between watching Neal work and reading the sports section of the newspaper. It was impressive to see the strength and determination of these men and women as they fought to regain their independence following some unfortunate incident which had left them struggling to return to a normal existence.

'So, are you going to tell me about that stylish gash under your chin?' Clive asked as he put Neal through his paces

Neal rolled his eyes. His relationship with Clive was built on trust and although he could make up any number of stories about what had led to the injury, he decided to come clean and tell his physiotherapist the truth about the lack of judgement that had led to the mishap.

'Neal, this isn't a game, you know. If you try to rush things, it'll all blow up in your face. It's going to take some time before you're back to normal and if you try to cut corners, you'll only have to go back and do it all over again' the young man warned

Although he knew there was wisdom in those words, Neal had always been lacking in patience. He'd taken shortcuts his whole life and it was tempting to push harder than he should - more than anything, he just wanted his life back to normal. He grunted as he continued to work on the large exercise ball, his legs beginning to ache from the exertion.

'Next Tuesday, they'll do the sensitivity test again and we'll see what your levels are up to' Clive added

'I can feel my legs a lot more' Neal said 'but I've also been getting those tremors a lot too'

'That's a good sign. Things are beginning to connect between your brain and your lower body. Just try to be patient' he advised

Clive helped Neal back into his chair and handed him his bottle of water.

'There's something else' Neal admitted 'In two weeks, it's our wedding anniversary and I want to surprise Sara'

The young man listened as Neal continued to explain.

'I want to be able to take a few steps on my own and maybe... dance with her for a few seconds. Every year, we play the song from our wedding and we dance in our living room... I want to do it again this year'

Clive let out a long slow breath. 'It's not outside the realm of possibility if you keep working hard but I don't think you should have any specific expectations – maybe you should set your sights on something a little less... daunting'

'No! I really want to do this' Neal insisted as he took another sip of water 'I just don't want to fall on my face'

'Neal, let's continue to work hard and see where it takes us, okay? One day at a time' Clive said wisely

It wasn't quite the answer Neal had been hoping for but it would have to do for now. He knew he could accomplish a lot if he worked hard and he was ready to put in the blood, sweat and tears to get there.

Peter watched with interest as Neal moved over to the bars, pulling himself out of his chair and preparing to take a short stroll. Except for his failed attempt the day before, Peter hadn't seen Neal vertical in a few weeks and he studied his friend's face as he struggled to get his balance.

'Today, I'm going to get you to let go of the bars for a few seconds. Let's see what your legs can do on their own' Clive was saying

Neal nodded enthusiastically; _thi_s was progress. He held on to the bars for a moment, making sure he had his balance, feeling his legs underneath him, supporting his weight.

'When you feel that you're on solid ground, I want you to slowly let go of the bars. I've got you' Clive said, as he put his hands out to support Neal

Peter stared, mesmerized watching the great Neal Caffrey struggle to stand. He'd seen Neal do all kinds of physically challenging things over the years, not the least of which was the way he walked, with self-assurance and that annoying swagger that had always driven him nuts. Was this the same man?

After a few seconds, Neal's face contorted and giving all he had, he let go of the bars, feeling Clive's arms steadying him.

'I'm going to let you go now' Clive said as he slowly removed his strong arms from around Neal's waist

The world did not stop turning and Neal did not tumble to the ground but the moment was fleeting and after having counted to five, Clive returned his hands to Neal's waist and instructed him to place his hands back on the bars to steady himself.

Applause was heard nearby and Neal looked up to see Peter giving him a standing ovation; Neal bowed his head gracefully, thankful for the encouragement.

TBC


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

Sara lay in bed with her husband, feeling his strong, comforting arms wrapped lovingly around her. He seemed to be in great spirits since she'd picked him up from work; they'd had a lovely family dinner and Neal had even managed to stay up until 10:00 - which was a record in recent memory.

'So therapy went well?' she asked

'Yeah, more of the same, you know' Neal said as he ran his hand absent-mindedly up and down Sara's arm

His confidence was back full force and for the first time as he'd stood unassisted for a few seconds earlier in the day, he'd been able to see the light at the end of the long tunnel. It was still a ways off but it was there, unmistakably, and Neal knew for sure he'd get there eventually, something he'd had his doubts about since the shooting.

He thought back to the new piece of equipment he'd managed to smuggle into the gallery and hide in the backroom: a sexy walker, something he'd seen plenty of at the Marigold Retirement Home on the many occasions he'd visited June. He'd always hoped he wouldn't require one of those contraptions until he was well into his nineties but when Clive had introduced him to the sleek little number, he'd gotten excited at the prospect of having a method of transportation that did not involve him sitting down. Clive had given clear instructions that he shouldn't overexert himself - however, he saw no reason Neal couldn't use it daily to practice walking as long as he was supervised by someone and didn't overdo it. This last bit had been explained in Peter's presence and the ex-FBI agent had nodded in understanding; he had no intention of taking any chances with his best friend's recovery and Neal knew he'd be watching him like a hawk.

'You seem... chipper' Sara said as she turned to look into his mischievous eyes

'I'm just happy to be in bed with my wife' he said, his voice low 'Is there a problem with that?' he added as he poked her playfully in the ribs

'No problem whatsoever' Sara laughed in response, her eyes sparkling

'I'm really sorry I messed up yesterday' he said as he suddenly turned serious

The old Neal Caffrey would never have apologized for anything – that was part of the conman's dogma. But since he'd been married to Sara Ellis, he'd learned that apologizing for his misdeeds usually led to good things and frankly, it was well worth it.

'I just worry about you, that's all. I know I can be a little... intense' she grudgingly admitted as she ran her finger gently over his stitches

Neal just grinned as she spoke; her 'intensity' was precisely why he loved her so much - with all the good and the bad that particular character trait entailed. The very characteristics that turned him on when it came to his wife were also the ones that drove him crazy and he realized that Sara was still everything he'd ever wanted – even before he'd known he wanted it. He moved in to place a tender kiss on her lips and she noticed how he managed to turn more easily in the bed now, his movements more fluid and much less of a struggle than the week before.

'Look at you, moving in on me like...' she began

'Like I used to?' he asked as he let his lips linger on her neck suggestively

She laughed again, that deep throaty laugh that did things to Neal.

'Like you used to...' she repeated as her lips met his

His hands began to move against her body and Sara turned to face him in the bed, delighting in his warm touch and the sound of his raspy voice in her ear.

'Do you think the kids are asleep?' Neal whispered impishly as he continued to move his lips along her neck, her shoulder

Although they hadn't had intercourse since before the shooting – and probably wouldn't for a while yet – they were finding other, creative ways of enjoying each other and Neal was noticing a sustained improvement as his body continued to react favorably to his wife's loving touch.

'Hope's still not home...' she murmured although she didn't seem to care whether the kids were asleep or not as her arms reached around her husband's neck, pulling him even closer and finding his lips once more.

A loud, thundering noise was heard in the distance, unmistakably their son.

'Mom? Have you seen my basketball sneakers anywhere?' Liam called out as he rumbled down the stairs

So much for the sanctity of the matrimonial bed; Neal and Sara stared at each other, disappointed, concluding that the move back to their own bedroom couldn't come soon enough.

'Rain check' Neal said as he reluctantly pulled away

Just as Liam appeared, the front door was heard opening and within seconds, the couple's quiet intimacy had vanished, making way for an impromptu family gathering in the middle of the family room as their offspring appeared.

'Check the garage...' Sara said to Liam as Hope came into view

She perched herself on the edge of her parents' bed and Raffie followed suit seemingly convinced there was some sort of shindig going on.

'Off!' Neal yelled as he shooed the dog away

Raffie obeyed, making his way over to Neal's side of the bed and lying there, compliant, as his master glared at him momentarily before gently running his hand through his fur.

Liam disappeared on the hunt for his shoes but Hope remained, something obviously on her mind and she finally looked at both her parents, her eyes dropping as she spoke.

'I need to talk to you guys about something' she said, her voice quiet

Sara's mind went immediately to the more typical concerns of any parent with a teenage daughter: unwanted pregnancy, scratch on the car, confession of some forbidden pursuit... Neal, however, braced himself for what he knew was coming; since Peter had confided in him about Hope's plans, he'd been waiting for her to come clean to them and he mentally summoned up the long litany of arguments he'd been preparing in response to her proposal.

Sara and Neal both sat up, leaning on the back of the hide-a-bed as they turned their attention to their daughter.

'I've been doing a lot of thinking...' she began '...about starting school in the fall'

Neal took a deep breath, keeping from cutting her off before she'd actually laid out her plan.

'And I think it would be better for me if I started school in January instead' she blurted out

'Why?' Sara asked spontaneously, not having had the benefit of the heads up Peter had given her husband

Neal just stared at his daughter, willing himself to give her the chance to explain herself.

'I'm just... I need some time after everything that's happened. I would really love to work at the gallery full time for a few months – you know, help out...'

Neal couldn't hold back any longer and seeing an opening, he jumped right in.

'Hope, we don't _need _your help at the gallery. You have a life to live...' he said before she interrupted, becoming agitated

'Dad, I don't think you understand. I want to do this, I _need_ to do this... When you were... hurt, I was so scared. I thought you were going to die in my arms and that I'd never again get the chance to be with you, talk to you, paint with you, argue with you...' she said, her eyes filling with tears

Neal listened as his little girl bared her soul, sharing her deepest thoughts and fears.

'... and then you pulled through and I realized that you and Mom, you both mean so much to me and that I would regret it if I didn't show you just how much'

'But honey' Neal said as he sat up, taking her hand 'you can't live in fear of what might happen. This is the normal course of things, you going off to university to start your own life. Mom and I will always be here for you, wherever you are; that's never going to change'

Sara leaned in, her hand on Neal's back in a show of solidarity as he spoke; he was expressing her thoughts exactly.

'I know that, Dad but... this is still fresh and I need time before I move on. I've got my whole life ahead of me and when I leave for Pittsburgh, everything will change. A few months isn't going to make a difference but at least I'll feel like I'm doing things in my own time' she said, her voice full of emotion

Sara looked at her little girl and tears began to well up in her eyes as she listened to the wisdom in her voice – sometimes, she felt like Hope was the adult in their relationship, so poised and thoughtful.

Neal glanced at his wife, putting an arm around her and choosing not to overreact; obviously Sara needed some time to process what Hope had just shared.

'What do you say we all sleep on in and talk about it tomorrow?' Neal said in a show of uncharacteristic restraint

Hope nodded and stood to kiss both her parents goodnight.

'I love you' she said to each of them as she prepared to go up to her room

'C'mon Raffie!' she called out as she walked away

Neal and Sara resumed their previous position, locked in each other's arms but for now, their amorous pursuits had given way to other, more pressing thoughts.

WCWCWC

On Friday afternoon, Neal and Sara pointed the car in the direction of Manhattan for their two o'clock appointment at McGuinty and Jones, LLB for the reading of June's will. They were to meet up with Lorna, Marion and her husband Mort who were scheduled to leave the next day to return to Europe.

The Caffreys drove to the appointment in silence. They were still mulling over Hope's little bombshell from the night before, each of them processing the information in their own way and beginning to form an opinion on the subject.

Although they had resumed their 'normal' lives, as unusual as they were for the time being, June was still in Neal's thoughts on a daily basis and he looked forward to seeing the Ellington sisters whom he hadn't talked to since the day of the funeral.

The firm's offices were located not too far from June's home and Sara easily found a parking space on a side street. She moved to the back of the car to pull out Neal's wheelchair and she helped him settle into Edna's welcoming arms. He was looking a lot more agile and he needed very little help to shift his weight in and out of the chair these days and Sara looked forward to a time when Edna's services would no longer be required.

Both women were sitting in the posh waiting room as Neal and Sara arrived. Mort stood to shake Neal's hand and the sisters rose to hug Neal then Sara as they all settled in to wait.

'Neal, I just want to say that whatever Mom wanted is more that okay with us' Lorna said as Neal looked on with a frown

He'd never given much thought to what June's last wishes might be; he'd had the privilege of having this wonderful woman in his life for all those years and that in and of itself, was all he'd ever wanted.

WCWCWC

An hour later, Sara and Neal sat in the car, in stunned silence as they thought back to Derek McGuinty's words as he read June Ellington's last will and testament. June had seen fit to leave a third of everything she owned to Neal including the mansion on Riverside Drive and all her assets, which were plentiful.

Lorna's words rang in Neal's ears as he realized she must have had an inkling of the secrets hidden within June's will when she'd uttered them upon their arrival. He was totally bowled over by June's generosity and yet, somewhat uncomfortable at the unexpected windfall her death had created.

Neal finally broke the silence. 'That's almost three million dollars' he uttered, not quite believing his own words.

'What are we going to do with... all that' Sara said as she drove, even slower than usual

'I don't know...' Neal responded 'It's just... so overwhelming'

Of course, Neal had lived the life of Riley for many years in his youth, living off the ill-gotten profits of his crimes and he'd had no compunction about living the high live back then. But since he'd left that world behind, he'd lived much like everyone else, paying taxes, scrimping and saving for the things that were important to him and Sara and over time, he'd learned to appreciate having to work hard for what they had. This seemed... well, it felt wrong somehow to profit financially from someone's passing although he knew that June had wanted him to have this opportunity. When they had been in the planning stages for the gallery, she'd tried on numerous occasions to give him the necessary start-up capital but he and Sara had agreed that they wanted to do it the old fashioned way and, although they were grateful for the offer, they'd steadfastly refused June's help.

'I think we just need to let this sink in' Neal said as he stared off into space 'One thing's for sure, it has to be something worthy of June's memory, something she would be proud of'

'Well, the kids' education comes to mind, I know _that_ was important to her' Sara said as she approached the bridge back to Westchester County

Neal nodded; that was true enough but the amount of money involved was overwhelming and he knew that it needed to go towards something meaningful that would withstand the test of time; even in death it seemed, June continued to challenge Neal to be the best man he could possibly be.

TBC


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

The family room of the Caffrey home had somehow deteriorated into an out-and-out jumble of clutter as the days progressed. Between the hide-a-bed being not so 'hidden' half the time, Neal's clothing and personal effects scattered around the room and the kids' stuff slowly but surely beginning to reappear, the place was jam packed and the latest addition to the chaos wasn't helping in that regard.

Neal had been inspired to start a new painting and Sara was thrilled that he was getting back to his previous creative pursuits. Regardless of the inconvenience of having all his art paraphernalia scattered around the family room, she hadn't hesitated for a moment when Neal had asked if Liam could bring up his easel from the basement studio.

Neal sat in the middle of the confusion, seemingly unperturbed by the chaos and got himself situated in front of the blank canvas, a picture of June clutched in his hands. Ever since the visit to the lawyer's office two days before, she'd been on his mind constantly as he tried to connect with the essence of June Ellington in an attempt to do justice to the unexpected windfall which had come their way. He and Sara had discussed it at length and had decided to take a small portion of the inheritance for the kid's university education and a modest slush fund for the gallery. They'd agreed that the bulk of the money would go to the 'June Ellington School of Art' although the details of the project were sketchy; all they knew for certain was that the focus of the school would be on allowing underprivileged kids to gain access to the world of visual arts. Neal had called Cindy, who was still curator of the Devonshire Gallery, to see if they could meet up and bounce around a few ideas; like him, she was a true lover of the arts and she knew her grandmother better than anyone else.

Liam entered the room, his smart phone in hand and he glanced over at his dad as he attempted to adjust the height on the easel with a screwdriver, an endeavour he was clearly struggling with from all appearances.

'Hey Dad, can I give you a hand with that?' Liam asked as he made his way closer

Neal looked up, exasperated by his clumsiness as he tried to work from a sitting position. He was getting better at accepting help these days and he just shrugged in response handing the screwdriver over to his son.

'I'm just at an awkward angle' he muttered

'No problem, it'll just take me a second' said the young man as he began to fiddle with the easel

He glanced at his father, noticing the look of frustration on his face.

'You know, Dad, you'll be back to being your usual incompetent self with tools in no time' he said, tongue in cheek

Neal had never been much of a handyman although he'd learned an awful lot about simple household repairs since they'd lived in their house. Whenever things got a little too much for his limited expertise, he would always call on his neighbor and friend Jeff Mason or better still, Peter – who had much more of an interest and skill level for these kinds of challenges.

He laughed at Liam's comment and watched as his son expertly adjusted the height of the easel to match his current eye level.

'Liam, I need your help with something else' Neal said, thinking ahead to the following weekend

'Sure, what is it?' asked his son, sitting on the couch and coming eye to eye with his dad

'Friday is our wedding anniversary and...' Neal said, his voice dropping to not much more than a whisper as he glanced around to make sure Sara wasn't within earshot '... I've got a couple of surprises for your mom'

Liam listened, his eyes wide open.

'I've been holding out on her' Neal continued 'I think I'll be able to walk a few steps on my own by then and I'm... hoping I can dance for a few seconds with her'

'Really!' Liam said a little too loudly as Neal shushed him

'But I need a wingman, someone to set things up, take care of the music and have my chair ready when I'm done' Neal continued, an obvious look of excitement and anticipation in his bright blue eyes

'Hey, I'm your man, Dad' exclaimed Liam 'Whatever you need'

'Alright!' Neal answered 'I'm still getting the details worked out but I'll get back to you'

Liam stood to leave and took a few tentative steps before turning back to face his father.

'Big game tonight, you want to watch it with me?' he asked, knowing full well the answer

'Duh!' Neal said laughing 'Seven o'clock, right?'

Liam nodded as he sauntered away and Neal returned to the blank canvas that sat in front of his eyes – just like his project, he could make it anything he wanted it to be and he sighed at the huge responsibility that he'd been tasked with.

WCWCWC

'Hi honey, what are _you_ up to?' Sara asked as she stepped into Hope's bedroom

'Just texting Cam. I'm going to meet up with him at the gallery later' she answered as she put her phone down, inviting her mom to sit on the edge of her bed

'I need your help with something' Sara blurted out

'Sure, what's up?' asked Hope

'Well, it's our anniversary on Friday and Aunt Elizabeth is planning a dinner party for us on Saturday night' Sara volunteered

Hope sat up, listening. The only thing she loved more than being on the receiving end of a surprise was helping plan one for someone else.

'And I want to keep it a surprise from Daddy' she continued 'I'm going to need you to go over there on Saturday and help her with all the preparations so he doesn't get suspicious'

'Yeah, sure. So what is this... 18 right?' she asked as she calculated quickly

'Incredible, huh?' Sara said, suddenly looking love struck

'What was Dad like back then?' Hope asked, interested in what a younger Neal might have been like

Sara laughed. 'Oh, honey! Just like now, he was gorgeous and full of mischief. I used to be on his case all the time about staying on the straight and narrow but, the truth is' she said as she spoke more quietly 'I've always loved the rogue in him'

Hope listened intently. Her dad had never been anything but just that... her dad, a devoted, caring man she could always count on. But she could see the stars in her mom's eyes whenever she looked at him – a look she'd recognized in the mirror a couple of times whenever she thought about Cameron Armstrong.

'He used to get himself in trouble all the time...' Sara continued

'Used to?' Hope interjected with a laugh

'Yeah, well even more than he does now' Sara agreed 'I love your dad because he's such a loving and caring man; he'd take a bullet for someone he loves'

She stopped suddenly, realizing what she'd just said.

Hope stared up at her mom, her eyes wide, tears beginning to form.

'I'm sorry, sweetie, I don't know why I used that expression' said Sara as she gently touched her daughter's face

'You're right though' agreed Hope as she wiped her eyes 'He's always been there for me, since day one'

Sara nodded, thinking back to the moment all those years ago when she'd decided that they could make a go of it, the moment when she realized Neal would always be there for her and their baby daughter. She reflected briefly on the first few days following Hope's birth and that horrible twenty four hour period where Neal had disappeared as he'd totally freaked out about his ability to do right by her and how he'd finally returned, never to leave her side again.

'Anyway' Sara said, shaking off the nostalgia 'I'll let you know about helping out Auntie El. Oh, and could you give me a hand with choosing a gift for your dad?'

Sara was hopeless at gift-buying, something that wasn't lost on her daughter, and Hope was marginally better – together they would figure it out.

'Sure, Mom. Let's go shopping after school some night' she said, laughing

Sara stood to leave as Hope interjected.

'Mom, you know this thing about university?...' she said

Sara stopped dead in her tracks – she knew how Hope was feeling and she and Neal had been discussing their daughter's proposal for the past few days, not really seeing eye to eye on the subject.

'This is _not_ some pity thing, Mom, I really, really want to do this' she said, her voice strong

Mother and daughter looked at each other and Sara nodded in agreement – she got it, Hope needed to do this for herself more than anything else.

'Will you try to get Daddy to see that?' she continued as her mom nodded in understanding.

There was no logical explanation as to why we did certain things in life – the heart knew what the heart knew - and Sara was aware of that more than anyone else.

WCWCWC

Tuesday rolled around and as well as a therapy session, Neal was scheduled for another follow up appointment with Dr. Miller - something he had no hope in hell of keeping Sara from attending with him, nor did he want to. He was making great progress with his walking and at his last session with Peter, he'd taken three steps unattended before he had to grab onto the bars on either side of him to keep him from losing his balance.

Unbeknownst to Sara, he'd been spending hours walking at the gallery with the help of his new best friend, Bertha the walker, and under Peter's watchful eye, he was managing to stand on his own for up to ten seconds at a time. He didn't want to ruin the surprise before its time and he'd enlisted Clive's help in making that happen. If Sara hung around, she would witness his amazing progress and he didn't want that to happen until the time was right.

'Sara, can I talk to you for a minute?' Clive asked as he pulled her aside upon arrival

'Sure. Is there a problem?' she asked in her usual glass half-empty kind of way

'No, no. It's just that I find that Neal does better when he's not being watched by his loved ones when he's working' he confided 'I said the same thing to Peter last week'

'Oh, yeah I could see that. Neal is a very proud man' she answered in agreement

'Do you think you could...' Clive began

'Yeah, yeah. I'll head down to the cafeteria for awhile' she said, pointing down the hall

'Thanks' Clive said with a shy smile

He hated lying but he was a sentimental fool deep down and he'd somehow let Neal convince him that his little deception was the least he could do to assist in the course of true love.

'All right, Neal. You owe me one' he said with a sigh as he returned to his patient

WCWCWC

The visit to Dr. Miller's office was more of the same; the findings were _more_ than encouraging as she read back Neal's results from his latest test.

'Wow, Neal! You are doing _great_' she said as she glanced at his chart

Neal cringed; he didn't want her revealing too much regarding his phenomenal progress in front of Sara.

'Your numbers are up to 53% for your legs and an amazing 74% in your hips and pelvis. You must be really feeling that, huh?' she asked

'Yeah, well you know, it's slow but steady' Neal said in an attempt to play down what the doctor had just said

Sara listened, a huge smile on her face. She hadn't noticed much of a change in Neal's mobility but this _had_ to be good news.

'What about therapy, do they have you walking yet?' she asked

Neal sighed. He'd just finished a marathon of ten steps before he had to cry uncle and he was secretly thrilled at what he'd managed to accomplish.

'We're _working_ on standing' he fibbed as he glanced uneasily over at Sara who continued to listen intently

'Well, I'm sure that will pay off in no time' said the doctor 'Just keep doing what you're doing'

Neal nodded innocently. 'Oh, I will' he said

TBC


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

'Well, _that_ was encouraging news' Sara said as they slowly made their way to the exit

'Yeah, it was...' Neal echoed as he suddenly stopped in his tracks 'Shoot!'

'What is it?' Sara asked as she stood alongside him

'I forgot my workout bag in Dr. Miller's office' he said as he began to turn around and head back

'I'll get it' Sara offered

'No, that's okay' Neal insisted 'Why don't you go get the car and pick me up out front. I'll just be a minute'

'Alright... I'll meet you at the main door' she agreed as she watched him expertly roll away towards where they'd come from

Neal made his way back down the corridor towards Dr. Miller's office, his heart beating rapidly in response to the small con he'd just pulled on his wife. He had something to ask the good doctor that he didn't want her to overhear and he was just thankful that she hadn't noticed that he'd 'forgotten' the bag in plain sight right by the desk in the doctor's office.

'Neal, did you forget something?' Dr. Miller asked as he reappeared at the door to her office

'Yeah...' he answered sheepishly as he pointed '...I left my bag'

She leaned down to pick it up and hand it over to him and when her smiling eyes met his, she detected something there; after a few weeks, she was starting to know her handsome patient. She waited for a moment for him to speak.

'Actually... there _was_ something else' he finally admitted as he returned her gaze

She perched herself on the edge of her desk and waited for whatever it was Neal didn't feel he could say in front of his wife.

'It's our wedding anniversary this Friday' he began, his speech slowing down as he became unsure as to how to put forward his request

'Hum. Congratulations?' she asked wondering where this was leading

Neal laughed nervously. 'I was kind of hoping... that I could... you know, hit one out of the park'

She looked quizzically for a second before clueing into what he was saying.

'Oh. And how are things going in that department?' she asked

'Pretty good, I think. I haven't completely... tested the equipment' he said shyly

'And you'd like a little 'insurance policy'?' she added

She was no slouch.

'Yeah, I'd just hate to strike out...' he said, continuing with the baseball analogy

'I can help you with that' she said as she stood to grab her prescription pad 'Take one of these – and only one – about two hours before you... step up to the plate'

Neal nodded as he took the piece of paper from her and buried it deep in his shirt pocket; he turned to leave with a mumbled thank you.

'Oh, and Neal... swing for the fences' she said with a wink

WCWCWC

Neal had agreed to meet Cindy at her office at the gallery where she worked. The Devonshire Gallery was a well respected establishment which had been around for over thirty years and as curator, Cindy was responsible for all their acquisitions as well as overseeing the exhibits that were held within their walls. After finishing up university with a Masters in Fine Arts, she'd worked for a while as a struggling artist, finally recognizing that, although she had a great eye for art, she had none of the talent to generate great works and she'd settled in within the arts community, having moved around several galleries in Manhattan before settling in at the Devonshire eight years before.

Cindy and Neal had always been great collaborators; they had a lot of respect for each other's judgement and shared similar tastes when it came to beautiful art. They'd kept in touch over the years, their connection unmistakeably June, and Cindy had even helped Neal with some creative decisions early on when he'd opened the Raphael. Today, however, he had something much more personal on his mind as he made his way to the Devonshire with Sara by his side.

'You sure you're okay on your own?' she asked as she helped him settle into Edna

Strictly speaking, Neal could probably get around with just Bertha these days but he didn't want to ruin the surprise; the big reveal was a mere days away and he wasn't about to let the cat out of the bag prematurely.

'How about I call you when I'm done' he said as he reached up to pull her in for a kiss

'I'm meeting El for lunch and then I'll just do a little shopping while I wait for you' she said as she glanced around the neighborhood, rife with boutiques and clothing stores

Neal just rolled his eyes. A 'little shopping' could mean a tidy little sum on their Visa bill.

'Go nuts!' he said with a mischievous smile

Cindy was waiting in the lobby when he arrived and she bent down to greet him with a kiss. Now in her forties, she had all the beauty and elegance of her beloved grandmother and she moved like a cat, stealthily and gracefully.

'Thanks for coming all this way, Neal. I've got some pieces coming in this afternoon and I didn't want to wander too far away' she explained

'No problem. It gives me a chance to see you in your natural habitat' he said with a grin

'Well, this is it!' she exclaimed as they slowly made their way through an exhibit of early 1900's Inuit art

Neal took his time, admiring as he went, following Cindy to a more remote part of the gallery, where the offices where housed. As galleries went, the Devonshire was a large venue, hosting exhibits from all over the world. The Raphael was small potatoes in comparison but it was all his and it reflected his take on the world of art, complete with his fondness for sharing his passion through the art appreciation classes and the kids' art classes they offered.

He'd seen the popularity of their classes skyrocket in the 18 months since the Raphael had opened its doors and the gallery had managed to break even despite the fact that he and Hope couldn't resist sponsoring some talented kids whose families didn't have the means to pay for the classes. These budding artists were often referred to them by perceptive teachers who saw raw talent and wanted the kids to have an opportunity to build on their intrinsic skills - and the Raphael was gaining a reputation as a teaching establishment which was open to philanthropic pursuits.

Neal had always wished he could do more for this clientele and he and Sara had immediately agreed that an art school for underprivileged youth would be a fitting and unique way of honoring June, bringing together her love of the arts and her love of young people. But Neal knew that as generous as the inheritance was, after they'd found a place and fixed it up and ran it for a couple of years, the well would eventually run dry and he had to find a way to fund the project indefinitely, hence his idea for Cindy's possible involvement in the project.

'So, how are you doing with... everything?' Cindy asked pointing vaguely to his wheelchair as she took a seat in her well appointed office

'Great!' he answered, surprised at his response

He _was_ doing great, his progress phenomenal, and as he prepared to fully resume his life, he was pleased to be returning to his previously optimistic view of the world.

'I think I have an idea why you're here' she continued 'Does this have anything to do with Grandma's inheritance?'

Neal raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

'It's a lot of money, isn't it?' she said, a faraway look in her eyes

She herself had received a fair amount of the inheritance from her mom following the reading of the will and she was relieved that she and her husband would have the means to send their kids off to school when the time came.

'It is. But for what I have in mind, I'll need a steady flow of revenue' he admitted

Cindy looked at him curiously; whatever Neal was about to propose, he'd most certainly given it a lot of thought. She knew him well enough to know he would never decide anything of this magnitude on a whim – the stakes were much too high.

'You know, we've been offering art classes at the Raphael and the demand is through the roof' he began 'We don't have the space or the resources to meet the demand'

Cindy listened as he spoke, intrigued.

'Sometimes, well often, Hope and I get requests from a school asking if we can sponsor a student who is showing promise but can't afford the classes. We can't _always_ say yes...' he said then paused '...I'd like to start saying yes all the time'

Her face lit up as he spoke, the notion of an art school for underprivileged kids an obvious winner in her eyes.

'Neal, I think you've hit the nail right on the head. Grandma would have _loved_ that!' she exclaimed

Neal shrugged shyly; he'd been hoping for just that reaction.

'If you're looking for my blessing, you've got it... unequivocally' she continued with a smile

'Ah, well that's where you're wrong' Neal said with a sneaky smirk 'I want a lot more than _that_ from you'

WCWCWC

Sara arrived just as Elizabeth did, meeting up right in front of the nearby Black Cat Café.

'Hey!' they said simultaneously in greeting as they hugged

'Thanks for coming all the way out here' said Sara as she held the door open for her best friend

'No problem, I love this place' El said as they were shown to a table on the terrace

It was a beautiful early June day, the sun gaining strength, the long winter and lazy spring finally behind them. With the goings on over the past few weeks, Sara and Elizabeth had not had much time to see each other and there was plenty to catch up on.

'So, tell me' Sara began 'Have you been seeing Peter at all these days?'

Elizabeth laughed in response. Although Peter had been 'working' at the gallery for awhile, the last few weeks he had stepped into the breach, taking the reins as Neal healed from his injury. He hadn't been around the house much and she was secretly pleased that he was focussed on something other than mindless (and often unnecessary) home repairs.

'Well, he's stopped trying to fix stuff that doesn't need fixing' she admitted as Sara joined in with mirth

'I guess Neal's injury will have contributed to something good' she said wistfully

'So, listen' El said as she morphed into event planner mode and pulled a _Burke Premiere Events_ folder out of her purse 'I've got all the details for Saturday night'

Sara shook her head – only El could take a simple request to host a few close friends and turn into a gala event.

WCWCWC

'Wow!' Cindy said in response to Neal's proposal 'I like it but... I really need to run this by Jonas'

'I ... completely understand. I wouldn't make an important decision like this without discussing it with Sara either' he said as he prepared to leave

Cindy rose to accompany him out, her pace slower than earlier, not quite ready to end the conversation they'd begun.

'And you want to get going when?' she asked, thoughtful

'I've seen a couple of places I'd like to check out. We could ask for a viewing whenever you're ready' he responded

She nodded hesitantly. Neal's proposal to set up a charitable Foundation for the art school and have her run it appealed to her; although it would be a huge responsibility to find corporate sponsors willing to donate, it was a job she was uniquely suited for considering her knowledge of the art scene in New York and beyond. She'd also been connected to her mother's many charities and had all the contacts required to keep funds flowing to the new school. Neal was right; there was plenty of money for the setup and running of the school for a few years but the cost of such an operation in downtown Manhattan would quickly become prohibitive if they didn't find a regular source of revenue to fund the program.

Neal had suggested she come to work for him, as head of the Foundation, while he saw to the administration of the school, teaching classes himself – something he absolutely loved – and training and supporting the teaching staff in his unique vision for the new establishment. He and Sara had lain in bed the night before, allowing themselves to dream well into the future. When the time came, this could all be Hope's and Liam's and Neal could see his daughter as the future director of the school, taking over from him if that was what she aspired to do. The notion that the 'June Ellington School of Art' could live on for decades was exciting and rewarding; a fitting legacy for a woman who had left her mark on the world with her kindness and compassion.

'Give me a couple of days to think about it' Cindy said as she hugged Neal

He looked into her eyes and in that moment he knew – she was in, all he had to do was wait for _her_ to realize it.

TBC


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

'Wooohoo!' Sara heard from downstairs

'What was _that_?' Emily Ellis-Foster asked at the other end of the phone line

'The Rangers must have scored' Sara responded as she lay on her bed

'Are you sure you have time to pick me up at the airport on Saturday?' asked Emily

'I was going to send Hope to get you if that's okay. I'm trying to keep this party a surprise for Neal' Sara said as she stretched out after a long day at work

'Sounds good. My flight gets in at 1:30' she responded

'And you don't mind heading over to the Burkes so Neal doesn't find out you're in town?' Sara asked

'Of course not. Elizabeth's already texted and given me some jobs to do...' her sister responded, laughing

'Now, _that_ sounds like El' Sara admitted

'Alright, so I'll see you on Saturday then' said Emily before signing off

The dinner party was shaping up to be the major social event of the season; of course Sara should have known that would happen the minute she asked Elizabeth Burke to host. She made her way downstairs, the television blaring and she spotted Neal, Mozzie and Liam cheering loudly as the three of them sat glued to the idiot box. She was starting to fade and she was looking forward to the guys vacating the couch so she and Neal could hit the sack. She looked fondly over at her husband, totally relaxed as he sat between Mozzie and Liam, seemingly enjoying the moment without a care in the world. She was noticing more and more unguarded moments like these – moments with the old Neal peeking through, the man who enjoyed life and lived in the moment.

She stood in front of the threesome with a crooked smile.

'Is it the second half yet?' she asked, as usual getting her sports terminology mixed up - but really not caring

Mozzie opened his mouth to correct her and Neal put an arm out to stop him. He'd tried for twenty years to teach Sara about sports and he'd given up a long time ago.

'It is' Neal declared, looking at the television screen showing a little over six minutes left in the third period 'Tired?'

She nodded as Neal poked Liam to get him to move over and free up some space on the couch.

'Come and sit with us' he said as he opened up his arms to her 'You can watch the rest of the... quarter'

Sara shook her head at him and grinned. She knew he was making fun of her – she must have gotten things wrong, _again_ – but, in that moment she didn't care and she walked over letting herself fall exhausted onto the couch between her husband and her son enjoying the closeness as both of them reached out and put a loving arm around her.

WCWCWC

Peter looked up from the boring invoices he'd been dealing with and observed as Neal stood up from the stool where he'd been working and, with barely a hand on the counter top to steady himself, walked over to grab Bertha who was waiting nearby. He'd noticed Neal's confidence growing daily when it came to walking with very little support and he smiled as he realized that it was just a question of time before things were finally – and thankfully – back to normal.

'So Sara was okay with me taking you to therapy again today?' Peter asked as Neal turned to face him

'I've convinced her that it's a hassle for her to come all the way from Sterling Bosch when you're right here and we're only ten minutes away from the hospital' Neal said as he grabbed a bunch of receipts and walked them over to Peter's desk tucked in the corner

'And was Clive able to give you an extra session for tomorrow?' Peter asked

It was Thursday and Neal's special evening for Sara was just a day away. He wanted to get in all the practice he possibly could before then and he was feeling increasingly confident that he would be able to carry out his surprise as planned.

'Yeah. He's been amazing' Neal said with a knowing smile

Clive had become a confidant of sorts over the course of the past few weeks as Neal had willingly shared his concerns and apprehensions. The young man had shown just the right balance of caution and encouragement, sometimes urging Neal to slow down while at other moments, cheering him on to push himself beyond his limits.

By the time they made their way to the rehab centre, Neal was in even better spirits. He had finally accepted the fact that slow and steady wins the race and over the past week, the gains he'd managed to make had been spectacular. He hadn't wanted to tempt fate and he'd followed Clive's directions to the letter, hoping to cross the finish line on Friday evening.

The young man was waiting for them when they arrived, holding the door open as Neal walked in pushing Bertha along.

'Hey Neal!' Clive said in greeting as the two men stepped into the bustling physiotherapy room

'With all this talk of surprises for your anniversary, it's my turn to pull something on _you_' he said as Neal settled in to begin his workout

'I thought we'd set aside the muscle building for today and concentrate on walking. You, my friend...' he said as he put his hand on Neal's shoulder '...are ready to walk on your own'

Neal looked furtively from Clive to Peter, his eyes excited at the prospect of being able to walk into Sara's open arms under his own steam. It had been a long time coming and progress had been slow at times but it was finally all coming together, all the hard work and training had been in preparation for this long-awaited moment: the moment when Neal could walk on his own, unassisted.

Clive settled Neal at one end of the long narrow aisle with the bars on either side of him and instructed him to stand on his own, leaving the safety of the walker behind. Neal had done this on many occasions, standing for increasingly long periods of time without holding on to anything or anyone. Although he barely held on to the bars for support anymore when he walked, up until this point, he'd always let his hands linger on them to give him assurance, grabbing on as needed – but today, he was determined to go all the way.

Clive stood halfway down the long walkway, about fifteen feet from Neal and instructed him to keep his hands by his side and to start slowly making his way down towards where he stood, waiting. Neal's eyes shone in anticipation as he realized that this was it – the ultimate test and what he'd been working for all this time. He took a deep breath and looked down at the young man who stood with his arms outstretched, inviting him to walk towards him. Neal hesitated for a brief instant, his hands instinctively reaching up to grab onto the bars as he willed them back down and he began the long slow march towards Clive who stood motionless waiting for him with a large grin on his face.

Peter looked on, holding his breath and hoping Neal was truly ready for this important step (no pun intended) in his long rehabilitation. He knew what this would mean to his best friend, the self-assurance he would gain from just a few steps unattended – walking resolutely towards his previous life of independence and freedom.

'If you need to hold on, the bars are right there Neal' Clive reminded him as Neal prepared to move

He could feel his legs strong and steady beneath him and with his eyes firmly set on his goal, he took a first tentative step as his self-confidence began to soar. The first step led to a second one and then a third and within a few seconds, he'd made his way to where Clive stood, noticing the young man continuing to back away, urging him to push himself even further. Peter stared, his mouth agape, marvelling at Neal's strength and courage; he blinked, detecting just a hint of that Caffrey swagger as Neal continued on his way looking more and more confident; all that was missing was the trusty fedora.

After a dozen or so steps, Neal began to get excited and his concentration waned momentarily as his hand reached instinctively for support and he began to giggle uncontrollably. He could hear applause, noticing that a few of the other patients had stopped what they were doing to cheer him on and Neal began to laugh loudly, irrepressibly as he realized what he'd just managed to accomplish.

WCWCWC

'Can we stop and drop this stuff off at Sam and Lydia's?' Neal asked as they left the rehab centre to return to the gallery

'Sure' Peter said

'Oh, and I need to pick up Sara's present at that shop on West 48th' he added, breathless

Both men hadn't stopped grinning since they'd left the hospital; the session had been an overwhelming success. Even Dr. Miller had popped in to check on Neal and had been thrilled with his progress, urging him to keep working hard but not to overexert himself.

Neal enjoyed the buildup to any surprise he dreamt up for Sara, he loved watching her face as she began to realize he had something special in store for her; she never disappointed in that regard and that, in large part, was why he enjoyed surprising her so much. He had arranged for Lydia to ambush Sara at work on Friday afternoon and get her to change into a new outfit he'd chosen for her before she headed home to their private little anniversary celebration. Neal knew his wife's tastes in clothes even better than she did and he'd chosen a beautiful teal colored knee length dress for the occasion – the bodice was lace, the skirt slightly flared and he knew it would look amazing on her. He imagined her excited face as she sat on the train on the way home from work and the anticipation that would inevitably build as she envisioned what would be waiting for her at the other end.

The Jordans lived on the Upper West Side and Peter made quick work of running in and handing the parcel to Sam who was waiting for him at the front door of their condo, Beatrice in his arms. Neal waved from the car before the men drove off to run their next errand. Peter was having a great time driving Neal around, watching his best friend's excitement continue to mount as he prepared for his evening with Sara. That was the Neal he knew and loved, the man who was crazy about his wife and who loved surprising her every chance he got.

WCWCWC

'Oh, that's nice' Peter said as he opened the box to peek in 'She's gonna really love that'

Neal smiled in satisfaction; his anniversary gifts were usually inspired by tradition although he always endeavoured to give it a personal twist.

By the time they made it back to the gallery, it was almost time to go home and Neal was relieved that Sara hadn't yet returned to collect him. They found Cameron with a customer and Hope in the classroom, getting ready for the evening art appreciation class she'd taken over from Neal since the shooting.

'Hey Dad' she called out 'I was afraid you wouldn't make it back before Mom showed up'

'Well, only twenty four hours until the big reveal' he said as he walked over to tuck Bertha in the corner of the backroom, out of sight. He reluctantly climbed aboard Edna, realizing after tomorrow, he would finally be able to drop the act and bid her adieu for good.

'So, you're still good with being my assistant tomorrow?' he asked

'Sous-chef at your service' she said with a salute

He had a lot of work to do to get ready for the celebration and this time around, he needed help from his kids if he was going to pull it off.

The door opened and Sara's voice was heard wafting through the gallery.

Neal winked at his daughter 'Game on' he said

TBC


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

'Are you sure you don't need me to stay home today?' Sara asked as she leaned in to touch Neal's forehead

'I'm just... tired' he answered, playing it up

'You don't _seem _to be running a fever' she said, sitting on the edge of the bed where Neal still lay

'I'm sure it's just... you know, I've been working every day this week and...' he said, smiling wanly at her

'Well, Hope will be home all day so call me if you need me, okay?' she said as she leaned in to kiss him goodbye

'Hey, aren't you forgetting something?' Neal asked as he held her arm to keep her from getting up

With all the preparations for the anniversary party at the Burkes, Sara had managed to forget the date. It was Friday, June 14th, eighteen years to the day since they'd taken their wedding vows in front of their friends and family in June's beautiful home.

'I almost forgot' she admitted 'Happy anniversary, honey!' she said with a smile

This year, she thought, they would just have to wait a day longer to have their celebration. She looked at him with a gleam in her eye and Neal grinned back at her, pulling her in for a more substantial kiss.

'If I'm feeling better maybe we could go out for something to eat later' Neal said innocently

'Let's wait and see how you're feeling, okay?' she answered, her eyes worried

Dr. Miller had warned about the possibility of infection and they'd been lucky so far but the last thing they needed was for Neal to hit another bump on the road to his recovery – especially the day before their big anniversary celebration.

WCWCWC

Sara glanced at her phone as she sat on the train, headed for work; Elizabeth had just texted her the final menu for the dinner party. She'd gone all out (of course) and included all of Neal's favorites: escargot au beurre à l'ail, sole meunière and for dessert, crème brulée. They were expecting over twenty guests and El had a special menu for the children who'd be attending; she'd even set up the back yard for a special 'kid friendly' party. Sara smiled as she read – El had hired some extra help to serve the meal and to tend the bar and she'd even booked some entertainment for the kids.

Sara shook her head in astonishment; leave it to Elizabeth to take a small gathering and turn it into a major production. One thing was for sure, she knew Neal would be thrilled to be surrounded by all his friends and family as he finally came through the worse of his ordeal; they had so much to be thankful for not the least of which was Neal's recovery and his encouraging prognosis.

She thought back to her shopping spree with Hope the night before. They'd gone out for dinner and hit some of the high end stores and boutiques in the hopes of finding that very special gift for Neal. Over the years, Neal and Sara had been sticklers about remaining faithful to the traditional anniversary gifts and this year was particularly challenging: porcelain.

They had finally settled on a beautiful porcelain shaving kit complete with a personalized pewter plate with his name and the date. It was vintage and Sara knew Neal would love the sentiment; he was a romantic and he loved the classics in all things. She sat back, closing her eyes for a moment as she recalled that day, eighteen years before when she'd stepped off the stairs in June's beautiful home to find Neal waiting for her by the door to the garden, her heart beating out of her chest in anticipation.

What a ride it had been so far and she was looking forward to eighteen more wonderful years with this man she was lucky enough to call her husband.

WCWCWC

Hope and Neal sat at the kitchen table sipping coffee and going over their busy day. There were groceries to buy, flowers to be picked up, the table needed setting, the place needed decorating and of course, Neal wanted to squeeze in one last session with Clive. The young man had offered to come to the house which made things a lot simpler; there was still one fancy manoeuvre Neal wanted to master and it would be easier to practice on home turf.

Neal glanced at the long 'to do' list sitting in front of him and took in the sight of his daughter, so beautiful and capable, eager to help him get ready for this special night. Suddenly, a dark cloud seemed to pass over her face and she looked up at her dad, her face serious.

'Dad, I know today's all about getting ready for tonight but - I think we should talk about when I'm going to start school. I need to confirm my January admission by the end of next week' she said

Neal gazed at his daughter, looking so grown up as she sat across from him. He and Sara had been discussing it off and on for the past week and he was starting to come around to the Caffrey women's point of view. Sara felt that Hope was going into this with her eyes wide open and that she wanted to put off starting school for all the_ right_ reasons – not out of some warped sense of duty towards her dad.

Even though she was an adult, capable of making her own decisions, Neal knew that Hope would never feel right about going through with her plans if he didn't come around and support her in her decision. If he was being honest with himself, he'd have to admit he was thrilled at the thought of having her around for an extra four months, especially with the plans for the art school starting to come into focus. He hadn't told her yet but, if she stayed, he wanted to involve her in the project and he had one particularly important role for her to play in getting the new school ready for its eventual opening.

'You know, Hope, the last thing I want is for you to put your life on hold because of what happened to me' he said, taking her hand

'I have no regrets about what happened – I would take that bullet over and over again if it meant keeping you safe' he added, getting choked up at the thought of what _migh_t have happened to his little girl that fateful night

'Oh, Daddy, I love you so much. You've always been there for us and I know you'd do anything for me and Liam' she said, fighting tears herself 'But I'm eighteen years old and I _know_ what I want... and what I want more than _anything _is to have some time to spend with you before I move to Pittsburgh. Will you please give me that?'

In that moment, as he gazed into his daughter's clear blue eyes, Neal realized he couldn't argue anymore. It was obvious Hope had given this a lot of thought and that she knew exactly what she was getting into. He nodded simply, not uttering a single word and she stood to put her arms around his neck in a warm hug.

'Thanks Dad. You'll never know how much this means to me' she said as Neal reciprocated, wrapping his arms tightly around her

After a moment, she pulled herself together and, wiping her eyes, she stepped away, reaching over to grab the grocery list Neal had prepared for her.

'Now, I'd better get going if we're going to cross everything off your list' she said, breaking the mood

To her surprise, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, Neal stood and walked the few steps to the sink to put his cup down as Hope watched wide-eyed. She'd seen him walking around the gallery with the help of his trusty walker but she hadn't yet seen him get up and walk on his own, not since that night he'd bravely stood between her and a man brandishing a gun.

'Dad?' she said as she joined him at the sink 'You've been holding out on me'

He looked at his daughter and, with one hand on the kitchen counter, he put his arm around her.

'Impressed?' he asked

'Very. And Mom's going to be thrilled. But Dad, don't overdo it today – you're not Superman' she added in caution

'Ah, that's where you're wrong, honey' he said in jest

They parted ways, Neal assuring his daughter that he wouldn't try to pull any over the top manoeuvres until she returned and, with a lingering smile on his face, he set about getting ready for Sara's special anniversary surprise.

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Lydia Jordan checked the time once again. She had been entrusted with a very important part of Neal's elaborate plan for their anniversary dinner. She knew her boss was a stickler for leaving early on Fridays and the last thing she wanted was to walk into her office and find her gone. She had enlisted the help of Sara's assistant to prevent that from happening and she kept checking her e-mails to make sure she didn't miss the warning they had agreed Jenny would send when Sara started to get ready to leave.

She glanced over at the dress Neal had chosen for his wife; it was perfect in every way as were the shoes he'd sent over for the occasion. She smiled as she opened the pretty little box containing the pearl earrings Sara wore every year for their anniversary. Neal had given her a pair on their wedding day and although she had lost one of them several years back, he had replaced them with an even more beautiful pair that she wore on special occasions – and _always_ on their anniversary.

A beep was heard heralding an incoming text and Lydia glanced up; Sara was getting ready to leave and she grabbed the dress bag and shoe box and headed out to intercept her boss.

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Liam fiddled with the CD player, making certain he would be ready to carry out the all-important job of starting the music when Neal eventually gave him the signal. He hadn't seen his dad this excited in a while and he watched as Neal puttered around (as much as one can putter with a walker) getting the table to look just right.

'Dad, please sit down for a minute; you've got to keep your strength up for later' Hope said as she entered the dining room carrying wine glasses

Neal looked up with a sigh; of course she was right. He had a full night of entertainment to deliver and he needed to pace himself if he was going to make it to the end of the evening in one piece. He let himself fall into the chair at the head of the dining room table as he began to mentally cross things off his list. Dinner was in the oven, the table was set including Sara's beautiful anniversary gift, the candles were lit, the wine uncorked and all other preparations under control. The only thing left was to change into more appropriate clothes; he'd chosen a shirt Sara particularly liked and a pair of tailored pants for the occasion.

'Liam, can you run up and get my clothes. I think Hope set everything out on the bed' he said

'I did' Hope added as she began to place the glassware on the table

'The wine glass in the middle...' Neal instructed as he continued to fuss to get it right

She looked sideways at him; he was a total wreck and he needed to calm down.

'Dad' she said calmly 'This is Mom; she's a sure thing okay? You don't need to worry about impressing her'

Neal laughed at her comment. No matter where the wine glasses were placed, Sara would be thrilled that he'd gone to all this trouble but more importantly, she'd be ecstatic at the progress he'd made in therapy, progress that would allow them to get their lives back to normal. The final surprise, which he'd practiced with Clive earlier in the afternoon, would blow her away – of that he was certain – and he smiled to himself in anticipation of her reaction.

WCWCWC

'Oh, my God. It's beautiful!' Sara exclaimed as she opened the garment bag and took in the amazing dress hidden inside

'Oh, and there's a note I'm supposed to give you' she said as she handed Sara a small envelope

Sara looked at her, curious, as she opened it finding a small card – a miniature Caffrey original painting of her wearing the beautiful dress. Leave it to Neal to pull something like this. Inside, she recognized his tidy handwriting: 'A magical evening awaits you. Happy anniversary sweetheart. Love, Neal'

TBC


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48**

'Hope just texted me - Sara's on her way home' Elizabeth said excitedly as she glanced at her phone

She and Peter sat, relaxing in their living room, after an early dinner. He smiled in anticipation; knowing what Neal had in store for her, Sara would be smiling all the way into next week. Peter's idea of romance was pretty well limited to surprising his wife with a bouquet of flowers every once in a while and he'd always envied Neal's exceptional skills in that department. His best friend could take an ordinary everyday situation and turn it into a fairytale moment and Peter had wished many times over the years, that some of that Caffrey magic would rub off on him a little more.

'Are you ready for this house to be full tomorrow night?' Peter asked as he put an arm around his wife

She glanced at him with a mix of excitement and apprehension. In twenty four hours, their house would be jam-packed with dinner guests and El still had a lot to do in order for everything to be ready on time. Of course, she'd planned hundreds of events over the years but there was something about having a party in your own home for people you loved that always set the bar higher.

'Yvonne will be here at ten tomorrow morning and I've got Hope and Emily running some errands for me in the afternoon' she said

Having a house full of people was always a lot of fun – and a lot of work – and Elizabeth had enlisted Yvonne's help to assist her in preparing the food and serving the meal. She'd also hired a young man they sometimes used for their catered functions to tend the bar; that would take the pressure off her so she could enjoy the company of her guests. Just as she'd planned Neal and Sara's wedding all those years ago, she was looking forward to hosting this anniversary dinner for them with all of their friends.

'Diana called and said Ginny was running a fever; she's not sure if they'll make it or not' she added

Virginia was Diana and Christie's youngest daughter and at the age of 10, she was a handful just like her mom.

'So how many kids are we expecting all together?' Peter asked as he tried to picture the number of little people who would be running around the house

'Well, little Bea is coming and then there's Michael and Jonathan' she said, referring to Clinton's two little guys '... and there's Olivia and Ginny and Hope and Liam, although they can hardly be considered kids – and then, there's Mozzie, of course...' she added in jest

Peter nodded in agreement – it was always up for discussion whether Mozzie belonged at the kids table or with the grownups, even on the best of days.

Peter's phone vibrated on the nearby coffee table and he reached over to pick it up.

'Liam' he said to El as he shared the screen with her

'Dad's a nervous wreck' it read

WCWCWC

The train was busy on this Friday evening as suburbanites returned to their bedroom communities for the weekend. Sara sat daintily on her seat as she glanced around at her fellow travellers, running her hand gently to smooth the skirt of her gorgeous dress. Neal still had the knack of pulling rabbits out hats after all these years. Although she was most definitely overdressed for a ride home on the train after a long day at the office, she couldn't care less and she took in the looks, some curious, but mostly admiring that her fellow passengers shot her way as she travelled towards White Plains.

She had no idea what Neal had cooked up for her but she knew, without a doubt, that it would be spectacular; Neal never disappointed when it came to birthdays and anniversaries. She thought back to his face that morning as he feigned fatigue and she wondered how she'd managed to fall for the little performance – she really _should_ know better by now. Well, two could play this game, she mused, thinking ahead to the wonderful party Peter and Elizabeth were throwing for them. As far as she knew, Neal didn't have a clue that family and friends would be gathering in their honor and with any luck, it would be her turn to pull the rug out from under him for a change.

WCWCWC

Neal walked a few steps and stopped, holding on gingerly to the edge of the dining room table; he continued a few more and looked up to see Hope standing there with her arms crossed, studying him.

'Dad, you're going to wear yourself out before she even gets here' she said as she took his arm, urging him to sit

He let out a long slow breath and followed her lead, letting himself settle on a nearby chair.

'You've _got_ this Dad, your ability to walk isn't going to magically evaporate' she said

Truth be told, that was exactly what Neal was afraid of; this walking business was new and he was terrified that it was all a dream and that his newfound superhuman power would vanish before he could show it off to Sara.

'How does everything look in the kitchen?' he asked, badly in need of a change of subject

'It's exactly as you asked' she replied, her voice calm – hoping some of her composure would rub off on him

He'd prepared special meals for Sara on hundreds of occasions, bustling around the kitchen at lightning speed; how had just taking a few steps to greet his wife suddenly become the main event of the evening?

'Anything?' he asked of Liam who sat on the living room couch, monitoring the goings on along Meadowbrook Street in anticipation of Sara's arrival

'Not yet Dad' Liam answered patiently for the third time in as many minutes

Neal took one last look around the living room and dining room. The place looked great with candles lit – although it was still daylight – and a beautifully set table for a romantic dinner for two. Soft music was already floating in the air, Frank Sinatra's voice crooning and inciting listeners to romance.

The kids each had their jobs: Hope was in charge of serving the meal, Liam playing the role of wine steward and of course, Neal would need his son's help to pull off a couple of other surprises he had in store for the celebration. Afterwards, the kids had arranged to make themselves scarce; Liam was sleeping over at his friend Will's place and Hope was headed over to Cam's for the night. Neal nervously patted his shirt pocket and felt the tiny bump where he'd placed his little blue pill which hopefully would work its magic – he had to remember to take it when they got to dessert if he wanted to play ball like the big boys.

'She's here!' Liam suddenly called out as the car turned into the driveway

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Sara parked the car and sat for a moment in the driveway, staring at their house. She wanted to enjoy every moment of this evening. She had a feeling that it would be a night to remember and in years to come, she wanted to be able to recall every single second of it. It had been such a rough few weeks and for a fleeting moment she wondered what might have happened if that bullet had strayed a few inches from where it eventually lodged itself. Neal could have been facing a lifetime in a wheelchair or worse yet, she could have been spending this anniversary alone. She shook off the morose thoughts and opened the car door, a huge smile of anticipation on her face.

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Hope was standing at the door when Sara opened it to enter the house.

'Hi Mom!' she said in greeting 'Welcome home. You look beautiful by the way'

'Thanks honey' Sara said as she scrutinized her daughter in hopes of gaining some insight into what was going on

'Here, let me take your bag and your purse' Hope continued as she took said items from her mom's hands

The dining room was just out of sight of the front door in the Caffrey home but Sara immediately spotted the edge of the dining room table, noticing their best lace tablecloth hanging off the edge. She glanced over at Liam sitting innocently on the couch and watched as he stood to greet her. Frank was crooning 'All the Way' in his soft sexy voice and Sara looked around, noticing candles and flowers all around the room, definitely not business as usual.

'Hey Mom' Liam said as he took her other arm

With her children on either side of her, Sara was escorted the few feet leading to the dining room where, to her delight and surprise, she spotted Neal standing at the head of the table looking good enough to eat in a beautiful dark blue shirt and dress pants, a radiant smile on his face.

'I knew that dress would be perfect on you' he said simply, downplaying the fact that he was actually standing there in front of her

'Neal! What...? You're standing!' she exclaimed in astonishment as Hope and Liam continued to hold her up on either side, perhaps afraid she'd faint from the shock

'Surprise!' he said simply as he took a first tentative step towards his beautiful wife

She took in a sharp breath at the sight of him moving on his own, his movements slow and hesitant at first, and her hand went to her mouth in reaction to the unexpected sight. When she finally removed her hand, her mouth was still open, very unladylike but somehow endearing as Neal continued steadfastly towards her, the kids beaming as they watched. Once they were reasonably sure their mom wasn't going to faint from the sight, they backed away slowly, their eyes still riveted on their dad who was accomplishing a feat no one would have dreamed possible just a few weeks before.

None of his earlier apprehension was apparent as Neal continued, unwavering, slowly yet resolutely closing the gap separating him from his wife. Sara took a step towards him and Neal put his hand up to stop her, urging her to wait for him, to let him come all the way to where she remained standing, totally stunned. Despite her eagerness to hold him in her arms, she relented, waiting patiently as he kept coming one slow, deliberate step at a time, anxious as he was not to mess this up and somehow land face first on the hardwood floor. It seemed to take forever but within seconds, he stood in front of her, finally reaching for her outstretched arms and letting himself settle in her embrace, feeling her arms around him trembling perhaps even more than his legs were. There was a lot of nervous laughter and some applause from behind them as Sara held her husband, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, helping him stay upright as she felt him begin to falter.

Neal was fighting it, but he could feel his legs shaking underneath him from the physical effort and from the emotional buildup to this moment he'd worked so hard for.

'Happy anniversary!' he uttered, out of breath as he pulled his face away from the crook of her neck where he'd settled for support

Her eyes were glistening as she kissed his lips, feeling his whole body shaking against hers. The next thing they knew, Liam was standing behind his dad with a chair, urging him to let himself fall back and the look of satisfaction on Neal's face was unmistakeable as he looked up at Sara who continued to grin like there was no tomorrow. This was absolutely the best gift she could ever hope for and she wasn't finished showing her appreciation; she let herself settle in his lap, her lips returning to his in a show of pure love and admiration as Liam and Hope gave each other the obligatory eye roll and disappeared momentarily into the kitchen to give their lovesick parents a few moments of privacy.

The celebration had begun – and Neal still had a lot of tricks up his sleeve.

TBC


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49**

'_This_ is amazing' said Sara as she took another luscious bite from her plate and reached out to take Neal's hand

Neal shrugged, trying to make light of the fact that he'd managed to put together a gourmet meal with the help of their kids. All of Sara's favorites were on the menu, from the spicy coconut chowder to the Chilean sea bass to the luscious strawberry tarts which were still to come.

'I'm glad you like it' he said as he smiled back at her

'You know I still can't believe you've been walking around behind my back – how did you ever pull it off?' she asked

'Well, it helped that you didn't come to physiotherapy with me. And last week, Clive gave me a walker which I squirreled away at the gallery... and I've been practicing ever since' he admitted as he took a bite of the sea bass

Sara shook her head in astonishment.

'And you've been scurrying around the house in your wheelchair for the past week just for my benefit?' she asked

Neal shrugged a second time, looking mischievous.

'I wanted to surprise you' he said shyly

'Well, I'm thrilled. Things are really moving along, huh?' she said

He nodded in response. 'I was afraid you'd put two and two together when Dr. Miller kept going on ad nauseum about my progress last Tuesday'

'I just thought she was trying to encourage you, that's all' Sara said as she took another bite of the heavenly scalloped potatoes that she only allowed herself to eat on very special occasions

She hummed and closed her eyes as the decadent, rich flavor filled her senses. Neal grinned at the sight of his beautiful wife; he hoped that before the night was over, he'd see that look of rapture on her face for something other than a bunch of spuds.

'And I absolutely love the vase' she said as she brought the beautiful gift closer to examine it once more

Neal had found a beautiful matte finish porcelain vase; it was off-white with clean lines and the minimalist image of a bird on a branch looking over at a second bird nearby. It was simple and classic and on the bottom, he'd had the artist add a porcelain plate with the phrase 'My beautiful Sara, you give me wings. All my love, Neal'

On this day, he'd filled it with gorgeous magenta orchids, Sara's favorites and the very same flowers they'd had at their wedding eighteen years before.

'I _thought_ you might like it' he said, a satisfied look on his face

He knew his wife's tastes in all things and she loved classic pieces, be it art, clothing or home accents. Sara had never been ostentatious, preferring the understated to the 'in your face' style in most everything.

'And you like the dress?' he asked for the third time

'I _love_ the dress, Neal. The color is amazing' she answered, _also_ for the third time, as she looked down to admire it once again

He continued to grin goofily as he'd been doing, despite himself, all evening. She looked amazing and he suddenly felt himself stir at the thought of holding her in his arms and making mad, passionate love to her. He reached over to kiss her, his hand still firmly on hers.

'More wine, sir?' he heard to his left

He hadn't even heard Liam sneak up and he looked up, irritated as his son stood there with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon in hand and a napkin on his arm.

'Yes. Please' Neal responded curtly, giving him an annoyed look at the ill-timed interruption

Liam just grinned in response to his dad's perceived irritation.

'Don't you have somewhere else you need to be?' Neal asked teasingly, hoping to return to kissing his grateful wife

'I don't know, do I?' Liam asked, more than capable of giving as good as he got

Sara laughed at the exchange between father and son and lifted her glass for Liam to refill it.

'By the way, this wine is an excellent choice, monsieur le sommelier' she said to the young man who didn't have a clue what she was saying

'The cook...' he began

Neal cleared his throat to get Liam's attention and he suddenly remembered the crash course he'd been given earlier in proper etiquette.

'I mean, the _chef_ has asked me to inform you that dessert will be served shortly' he said, with a horribly phony French accent that couldn't possibly be identified as such

'Thank you' Neal said as he gave him a head nod pointing him back to the kitchen where he'd come from

'I can't believe you pulled this off' Sara said, laughing as Liam retreated '...especially since you were feeling _so tired_ this morning...' she added tongue in cheek

'What? How am I supposed to pull off an evening like this if I don't tell a few little white lies along the way?' he asked innocently

'Oh, speaking of which' he added as Sara took the last bite off her plate 'I think it's time for one more little surprise'

She looked up expectantly, not sure what more she could possibly want; the dinner was perfect, the gifts were beautiful and witnessing the extent of Neal's progress was more than she could possibly hope for. She was completely and utterly content. Neal rang the little bell requesting service and Liam reappeared, looking flustered.

'Oh, _now_ you want me here' he said feigning annoyance at his dad

'Do you take special requests at this restaurant?' Neal asked, ignoring Liam's wisecrack

'We do, sir' Liam responded, returning to his role

'There's a song I think my lovely wife would love to hear' Neal said as he glanced over at Sara

She stared back, incredulous; surely Neal wasn't going to attempt what she thought he was going to attempt. Right on cue, he stood, putting out his hand for her as the first few bars of their wedding song was heard reverberating through the house.

'Are you sure...' she began as Neal cut her off

'Ah, ah, ah' he said as he waited for her to join him

Sara rose, touched that their long-standing tradition of dancing to 'Let's stay together' would be honored again this year despite the overwhelming odds to the contrary. Frankly, she was just so happy to have Neal by her side that she'd momentarily forgotten all about the customary dance. Neal opened his arms, willing his legs to keep cooperating for just a little while longer and Sara moved into his embrace as he began singing in her ear to her absolute delight. They didn't venture far and it wasn't much of a dance as far as dancing goes but Neal held her tight and moved gingerly from one foot to the other, holding her tenderly as she let herself be enveloped by his strong, loving arms. It was probably the least supple dance they'd ever shared yet it packed an emotional wallop unlike any other before it and by the time they finished to the applause of Hope and Liam who had appeared nearby, Sara was emotionally done in, crying with joy. It didn't take long for Neal to fall back in his chair and although he was physically exhausted by the effort he'd just put out, he was obviously thrilled at the response his latest little surprise had elicited.

'Thank you' Sara said as she joined him back at the table 'I really didn't think we'd be dancing this year'

'Tradition is tradition' Neal said, pleased with himself

Whatever physical fatigue he was feeling dissipated almost immediately and gave way to the utter joy he was feeling at being lucky enough to share this wonderful evening with Sara, so happy to see her relaxed and content again after weeks of anguish and worry.

Dessert was served in short order and as always, Neal was on task as he excused himself to use the washroom so he could take the little blue pill he hoped would allow him to hit a home run in the bedroom later. Although they'd certainly been enjoying each other's company in bed for the last few weeks, he'd been holding back, partly so they could celebrate their anniversary in style but mostly out of concern that he wouldn't be up to the task. The last thing Neal wanted was to start something he couldn't finish and he'd been reluctant to go all the way until he felt he had total control over his limbs – all of them. Sara had been patient but, like him, he knew she'd been looking forward to feeling his body against hers as they finally came together and, mentally, he was more than ready to step up to the batter's box and hit that ball over the fence.

He made his way back to the table, pushing Bertha along and rejoined Sara who was waiting patiently to jump into the strawberry tarts Neal had made from the berries that grew in their backyard. It was always a treat at this time of year and she could barely wait for him to return so she could dig in – which she did, the moment he took his seat next to her.

'Neal, this has been incredible; what do you say we ask the kids to come and have dessert with us?' she asked looking at her husband

'I think that's a great idea' Neal agreed as the kids suddenly peeked in on cue

'It's about time' said Hope, wiping her brow dramatically

'Oh, honey, you did a great job' exclaimed Sara as she welcomed them both to the table

The kids were part of who they were and even though they looked forward to their time alone, there was nothing like being all together on their wedding anniversary.

'You know, I used to be embarrassed at how you two behaved but... now, I'm kind of hoping I'll be just as in love as you are when I'm your age' Hope admitted meekly as Liam rolled his eyes

'Your turn will come, buddy' Neal said as he spied his son's reaction

'Whatever...' he said as everyone began to laugh

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By 10:00, the table had been cleared and Sara and Neal sat finishing up the last of the excellent wine, feeling mellow and content. Neal needed Liam's help for one more exploit and he began to feel anxious again at the thought of what he was about to do. He'd only attempted it once, on that very afternoon, with Clive's help and he was suddenly concerned that he wouldn't be able to pull it off successfully. He was determined to try, though, and he gave Hope the secret signal for her to head upstairs and put his plan in motion. She returned a few minutes later, giving him a quick thumbs up and Neal pushed his chair away from the table and stood as Sara looked on, curious.

'Honey, will you come with me?' he asked timidly

Sara looked at her husband, her eyes narrowing as she wondered what wonderful exploit Neal Caffrey was going to pull next and she stood, following him and Bertha to the front of the house as she saw him stop suddenly at the bottom of the stairs.

'No!' she said as she realized what he was going to attempt to do 'Are you kidding?'

Neal just smiled that cocky Caffrey smile as he shook his head.

'But Neal, is it safe?' she asked as she saw Liam appear and help set Bertha aside

He shrugged her question off with a no-nonsense 'Don't worry, it's fine' and turned to face her.

'How about you go on up to our bedroom and I'll join you in a minute?' he asked mischievously

'No, Neal. I'm not leaving you behind. If we're going up to our bedroom, we're walking in there together' she said adamantly

He smiled in response; he was slightly embarrassed at her having to witness him making the effort of climbing up the long staircase but he also wanted to see her face when she walked into their bedroom so he took a deep breath and with Liam holding his left arm and his right hand firmly on the handrail, Neal took a first decisive step up the stairs.

TBC


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50**

It proved to be a long gruelling climb to the top of the stairs as Neal mentally counted down the 15 steps up to the second floor of the house. By the time he reached the landing, he needed the support of both Sara and Liam to take the last few remaining steps towards the couple's bedroom. Sara's focus was on Neal and getting him safely into the room without any mishaps and though she was vaguely aware of the mood Neal had managed to create in their bedroom, it wasn't until he was safely settled into the armchair by their bed that she looked up to see the magic he'd created.

True to his nature, Neal had instructed the kids to fill the room with aromatic candles, some of which were new purchases Sara had never seen before and in his typical romantic fashion, he'd gone the traditional route of placing a trail of rose petals leading to their bed and scattered across their bedspread. The two bedside lamps had been covered by beautiful silk scarves giving the room a soft orange glow and gentle jazz could be heard in the background as the four of them finally settled into the room. Sara noticed the chocolate covered strawberries by the bed as well as the champagne flutes and ice bucket with a bottle of what looked to be Veuve Clicquot, her favorite champagne. Neal had gone the full nine yards to set the stage for romance and Sara looked around appreciatively, taking in all the minute details of their transformed bedroom.

As far as grand romantic gestures went, Neal was visibly disappointed that everyone's focus had been on his physical safety as they'd entered the room but he settled into the armchair, out of breath, and watched with satisfaction as Sara looked around the room with pure delight.

She giggled nervously at having the kids there with them and taking in the romantic allure of the room, she suddenly became aware of Neal's amorous intentions and he smiled shyly as her eyes met his.

'You've really outdone yourself Caffrey' she said as he beamed at her despite the fatigue and sheer exhaustion which had momentarily taken over

'Well, I was hoping for a less dramatic entrance...' he said, eyebrows raised

'Neal, you shouldn't be pushing yourself like this' she admonished as she stood by him, running her hand affectionately through his hair

Neal wasn't going to let the kids' presence disrupt the mood he'd worked so hard to create and he grabbed Sara's wrist, pulling her resolutely towards him until she landed squarely in his lap, a big smile on both their faces.

Hope and Liam looked sideways at each other; it was definitely time to take their leave but they had a surprise for their parents before they finally left them alone together. Liam reached over, grabbing what looked like a large book from the nearby dresser and brought it over to where his parents sat, Neal slowly recovering and beginning to make goo goo eyes at his wife who was nestled in his arms.

'We have something for you' Liam said as Hope looked on

The couple's focus shifted from each other to what Liam was handing them as they struggled to see in the dimly lit room without the help of their reading glasses.

'Do you mind?' Hope asked as she reached over for the overhead light switch, instantly breaking the mood and filling the room with sudden brightness

Liam handed both his parents their reading glasses so they could truly appreciate what they were holding in their hands and he heard them both gasp as they took in the beauty of what appeared to be a photo album. The cover page was, at first glance, a photograph of Neal and Sara taken on their wedding day but with the added benefit of proper lighting and 20/20 eyesight, they were both quick to discover that it was a painting of a photograph and their eyes turned to Hope who sat there looking smug and proud.

'This is a painting...' Sara was saying, stating the obvious

The canvas was approximately eight by ten inches and Neal and Sara recognized the photograph which had inspired it as one which had been taken by Elizabeth on their wedding day, Neal standing with both his arms snugly around his new wife as both of them beamed at the camera in pure bliss. The details were amazing and Neal ran his hand gingerly over the canvas as he took in the texture of the oil rendition.

'Honey, you've really outdone yourself' he said, his eyes still riveted on their likeness

Sara looked up as Hope continued to gaze at both of them, obviously thrilled by their reaction

'_True love stories never have endings'_ Neal read out loud, taking in the perfect calligraphic handwriting underneath the portrait

'There's a photograph in there for every year you've been married' Liam said, looking just as pleased as his sister

Neal and Sara opened the book and began to take in the photographs, one for each year of their marriage. Hope had added gorgeous yet discreet embellishments on each page, making the album a true work of art.

'Hope did the artwork and I did the research and assembled the album' Liam said proudly as he took in their parents' joy at the gift

The foursome gathered around the present, as Neal began turning the pages one by one, all of them commenting on changing dress and hair styles, the variety of shades of Sara's hair color over the years, the appearance of a few stray grey hairs on Neal's temples as time advanced. Amazingly, as they ventured all the way through to the last few photographs, both Neal and Sara still looked incredible and what was _most _obvious was the happiness in their eyes as the years passed. Eighteen years of a life shared was nothing to scoff at and both Hope and Liam were thrilled to have parents who still had eyes only for each other and stood by one another through thick and thin.

They arrived about halfway through the album, noticing just as many pages had been left blank and Hope piped up.

'Those are for all the years you guys have left' she said as Liam suddenly pulled out a camera seemingly out of nowhere

'We have to take a picture to add to the book' he said as he positioned himself to take the shot

Neal and Sara curled up in the chair, Sara bringing her face up against her husband's as both of them smiled broadly for the camera. Each anniversary was special in its own way but this one would always be remembered for being the culmination of a particularly rough year where they'd overcome hardships, facing them together.

'Guys, this is... amazing' said Sara as she finally rose to hug each one of the kids

Hope and Liam leaned in to kiss their dad, who remained sitting, still recuperating from all the physical effort exerted throughout the long day.

'Well, I think we should get going, huh Liam?' Hope said as she elbowed her brother

'Yeah' he agreed as he took the album from Neal's hands and placed it back on the dresser for safekeeping

'You guys, enjoy the rest of your evening' Hope said cryptically as she pulled Liam along and turned off the light on her way out 'We'll see you tomorrow'

And just like that, Neal and Sara were finally alone, gazing at each other like lovesick teenagers as the mood reverted to romance. Neal smiled at his wife; he hoped that the last little surprise he had in store for her would live up to expectations.

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'They loved it!' Liam exclaimed as he sat in the passenger seat of the family car

Hope nodded, a huge grin on her face. The evening had been magical and she was thrilled that they had both been able to help their dad pull it off without a hitch.

'Don't forget. Aunt Elizabeth needs you on the decorating committee tomorrow afternoon' she reminded her brother as they pulled into his friend Will Allenby's driveway

'I won't. Pick me up on your way to the airport' he said as he climbed out of the car

Hope waved him off as she began the trek to Manhattan to join Cameron. The romantic scene they'd just witnessed was rubbing off on her and she was looking forward to snuggling up to her boyfriend and making some of their own magic happen.

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Sara sat on Neal's lap, arms around his neck, running her lips languidly behind his ear down towards his neck as he moaned softly. They'd been necking like a couple of horny teenagers in the back seat of the family car for about twenty minutes and she was beginning to feel the burn on her face from Neal's prickly stubble rubbing against her soft skin.

'I love you' she heard Neal whisper in her ear as she slowly began to unbutton his shirt

She pulled away to look into his eyes, mischievous and dark and she hesitated for a moment, unsure where this was all going – not wanting to make any assumptions as to what Neal was capable of doing.

He read the look in her eyes and responded to the unspoken question as he brought his lips up towards her neck, pulling gently at her dress.

'I want to make love to you' he said softly, his voice hoarse

'But...' she began, not wanting to get her hopes up

'No buts tonight, Sara' he responded not bothering to pull his lips away

He reached behind her, finding the zipper of her dress and, without hesitation, he began to tug gently as she repositioned herself to help him succeed in his quest to get her naked. The sight of her sitting on his lap was doing unspoken things to him and the little blue pill was obviously contributing to giving him the staying power that had thus far eluded him. He could feel himself swelling under the weight of her and he was fighting the urge to move his hips, preferring to take his time and enjoy the feeling of her body pressed against him – at least for the time being.

He knew he had the stamina needed to take things slow and he wanted to enjoy every single moment before launching into the main event. He reached over and grabbed a strawberry from the bedside table and he lovingly placed it between her lips, watching as she closed her eyes to take a bite. He brought the rest of the fruit to his own mouth and hummed at the sweetness as he immediately returned his lips to hers, both of them tasting each other as their mouths met, hungry for one another.

'Neal, are you sure...' Sara began again. She didn't want Neal to push himself beyond his limits and she knew that he'd be upset if he set the bar too high and was unable to perform to his exacting standards

'Sara, look at me. I'm telling you, it's going to be fine' he murmured, his voice strong yet soft

She continued to look at him questioningly and he realized that if he didn't 'fess up about his little medicinal aid, she'd continue to worry, wondering at what point he might start to fade and wither away. Their previous attempts had ended in disappointment as Neal had struggled to stay the course and he wanted her to enjoy the moment and stop worrying.

'I got a little... help' he said as he ran his hand along her cheek

'Help?' she asked not immediately getting the gist of what he was saying

Neal gave her a_ 'Come on Sara, you're a smart woman'_ look as she stared back

'Ohhh' she finally said, clueing in to what he was saying 'Help! Really?'

He nodded, his eyebrows suggestively raised as she drew her own conclusions

'So stop worrying, okay and enjoy this. I know I will' he added with a wicked little smile

Sara laced her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply as she realized she no longer had to hold back for his sake.

Neal laughed through the kiss, pulling away as she fought him valiantly.

'Hey, hey. We've got all night, baby' he said, laughing heartily

'Then, what are we waiting for?' she exclaimed, pulling him back to her

TBC


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51**

'Mom and Dad looked so happy!' Hope exclaimed as she lay, satisfied, in Cameron Armstrong's arms

'Oh, yeah?' he said, half listening, his lips lingering on her neck

He was ready to go again – ah, the beauty of youth – but she just gently shooed him away, needing to cuddle and talk for awhile before going to sleep (damn those Caffrey genes)

'Do you think your dad knows about tomorrow?' he asked, momentarily giving up on his quest

'Naw. He doesn't have a clue. He's been so focussed on making tonight perfect for Mom that he hasn't had time to think about much else' she answered

Hope stared dreamily off into the distance. She loved Cameron and the thought of being away from him when she went away to school had her wondering; would they survive being in a long distance relationship or were they doomed to grow apart over time? She knew from watching her parents that love moved in mysterious ways and she was willing to take a leap of faith; if she and Cam were destined to be together, life would find a way to make that happen but still, not knowing was difficult and she moved in a little closer to him, feeling his arms around her.

'Uncle Peter says Mom and Dad couldn't stand the sight of each other when they first met. I always thought they were just what the other one needed and that's why they ended up together' she mused

'Well, they obviously like each other just fine now' Cam said as he let his hand linger up and down Hope's arm

She laughed in response to his comment; her parents were madly in love and that passion had manifested itself in a lot of different ways over the years but she'd never doubted for a moment that they would find a way to overcome any hardship life threw their way. Was that her destiny with Cam? Only time would tell.

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Neal and Sara sat up in bed, arms wrapped around each other, giggling like a couple of lovesick kids. They were taking a break from their amorous pursuits while they sipped champagne and reminisced about past anniversaries.

'And then, there was the time you made me that wonderful almond torte and we found it half eaten on the kitchen floor with Raffie snoring nearby' Sara said, laughing throatily

Neal's eyes glowed as he listened; he was still on a high from the amazing sex they'd had less than an hour before. It felt great to be back in control of his body and to feel things again after a scary few weeks of wondering if he ever would. Surprisingly, he could feel himself coming alive again just from the sound of Sara's warm voice and her gentle wayward touches. They weren't twenty years old anymore and in recent years, once around the block was more than enough on any given night but Neal's mind began to wander as he thought back to how amazing Sara had looked as she'd straddled him, her eyes closed in rapture as she pressed her body firmly against his.

He suddenly yearned for another go around and he set his glass down, turning serious as he began to run his hand suggestively along Sara's thigh and up to her bare buttocks. She was taken aback by the gesture - an unmistakeable invitation for round two - and she turned to face him, seeing that intense '_I'm about to have my way with you again'_ look in his hungry eyes

'Are you kidding?' she asked with a wicked smile on her face

He shrugged, embarrassed yet beyond excited as the stirring grew more insistent and he continued to stare into her eyes as he took her champagne flute and set it aside, expertly pulling her down on the bed as he positioned himself between her legs, seeking some kind of release – and needing it in the worse possible way.

She smiled up at him, welcoming him into her loving arms, no questions asked. Sara was more than happy to oblige and she was suddenly reminded of their early years when Neal had a short turnaround time and she could press the repeat button before he eventually ran out of steam. This was a surprisingly wonderful turn of events and complaining about a repeat performance was the furthest thing from her mind.

'Looks like I'm up at bat again' Neal murmured suggestively, his voice raspy as he insistently pushed her legs apart

She felt him thrust in, in one smooth motion, decisive and self-assured, so very Neal. Despite the sudden and unexpected manoeuvre, she was more than delighted and she reacted with a soft pleasurable moan throwing her arms around him and drawing him closer as she pulled herself up on the bed.

'Touchdown!' she whispered breathlessly in his ear as he pulled away to look at her, amused

'What?' she said reacting to his smiling face, figuring she must have messed up her sports expressions yet again

'Nothing!' Neal laughed heartily 'Nothing at all. I _love_ you Sara Ellis!'

And with that, he returned to the business at hand, enjoying his wife's lingering touches, the feel of her body against his, her warmth and her gentle moans as he rocked in and out, his self-confidence back in spades.

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Saturday morning at 5:00 a.m., it appeared the little blue pill wasn't yet done working its magic and Neal woke with a massive erection which he proceeded to press firmly against his wife while she slept soundly next to him.

'Again?' she asked drowsily as she felt him behind her, breathing heavily

'Mmmmmm' he murmured, unsure as to whether she was annoyed or just pleasantly surprised

She groaned then laughed softly as she turned to face him, seeing his face flushed and that oh so sexy look of desire in his blue eyes.

'Who _are _you and what have you done with my husband?' she asked as she pulled him closer – apparently Neal had no reason to worry and she felt him smile at her encouraging response

'Alright' she said sleepily 'One more round - but you're bringing me breakfast in bed'

Neal smiled a naughty smile as he got to work.

'Breakfast, lunch _and_ dinner' he whispered suggestively

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The Caffreys slept late, which was not surprising considering their nocturnal workout, and Sara woke to find Neal behind her, arms tightly wound around her waist, his head nestled in her hair as he snored blissfully. She glanced at the time and noticing it was already 9:00, she began to think ahead to her own surprise for Neal. Although she would have to stay well away from the goings on at Casa Burke, she had arranged for Peter to call and take Neal out for brunch so that she could pop in briefly on El to check on all the arrangements – not that there was anything to worry about, after all this was Elizabeth Burke event planner extraordinaire.

She turned in bed and watched Neal resituate himself, flipping onto his back, his face relaxed for a change, no sign of the pain and anguish of the last couple of weeks. Their anniversary celebration had given him the boost of confidence he'd needed and she was thankful he was finally on the mend and that they would be fully resuming their lives again soon.

By noon, Peter had swung by to pick Neal up for brunch, leaving Sara with the family's second vehicle to drive herself to Brooklyn. She placed a quick call to Hope, reminding her that Emily would be waiting for her at the airport at 1:30 and she hit the road, anxious to see what was brewing at the Burkes. She found a flurry of activity when she arrived. El had enlisted Mozzie and Liam's help in getting the place decorated and as Sara entered the house, she could hear Mrs. Burke barking orders – seemingly, the guys weren't carrying out the task exactly as instructed.

'Everything okay in here?' Sara asked as she peeked in and placed the latte she'd brought in El's hand

Elizabeth wiped her brow, looking a little flustered as she directed the boys to the backyard to finish decorating the kids' area. She gratefully took the cup and sat at the kitchen island, facing Sara.

'It's fine' El said, taking an appreciative sip 'You know how I get...'

'Well, I hope this wasn't too much to ask' Sara began as Elizabeth interrupted

'No, of course not. You know I love doing this. Yvonne just went out for a few last minute things and...' she added, looking at her watch '...Hope and Emily should be here soon. So tell me all about last night'

'You knew?' Sara said, surprised

'Of course I knew!' El said, smiling knowingly 'Was it fun?'

Sara got a sparkle in her eye which did not go undetected by her best friend. She knew that Neal was struggling with insecurities in the bedroom and she surmised from Sara's wayward look that the dry spell had finally ended.

'What? I'm not going to kiss and tell' said Sara a little too dismissively

'Oh, no? Since when?' asked El, putting her elbows on the counter and leaning in for details

Sara rolled her eyes at Elizabeth's question.

'Yes, it was wonderful, all of it... the dress, the dinner, the gifts, the... aftermath' she finally admitted

Elizabeth smiled in response. 'I knew it!' she said

'How did you know it? _I_ didn't even know it' said Sara laughing

'I mean, I knew Neal would be back to his old self in no time' El said

Sara just smiled; El had no idea just how true that was.

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'You look... I don't know, I want to say tired but I also want to say ... invigorated' Peter said as he sat across the table from Neal

Neal just smiled evasively as he took in Peter's puzzled look.

'Well, you'd be right on both counts... I guess' he answered hesitantly as Peter started to put two and two together

Neal looked surreptitiously around the restaurant to see if anyone was watching and he pulled out the small pill bottle from his shirt pocket.

'Have you ever _tried_ this stuff?' he whispered excitedly as his best friend looked on curiously 'You know I... I don't usually kiss and tell...' Neal continued 'but...'

Peter's eyes narrowed as he took in the label on the pill bottle, finally deducing where that glow on Neal's face was coming from.

'You're kidding!' Peter interrupted, although Neal wasn't sure if he was referring to the fact that Neal had turned to artificial methods for help or to the fact that he was actually sharing his discovery with his best friend

'What? Peter, if you ever _have_ to hit one of the park, believe me_ this_ is the way to go' Neal continued, his voice quiet as if he were sharing a top secret government scam

'Well, I don't think you ever _have to_ hit one out of the park, Neal' Peter answered 'but I am familiar with... this... medication'

'You're kidding? You've been holding out on me all this time?' Neal continued whispering, obviously annoyed

'Since when do you and I talk about ... this kind of stuff?' Peter asked, his voice quiet and just as annoyed

'I know' Neal conceded 'but if _I_ found some amazing new invention, I wouldn't hold out on _you_' he whined thinking of all those years he could have been enhanced his performance in the bedroom

'First of all, this is _not_ a new invention, Neal and it's a medication – it's not something to be used for your... enjoyment...' he trailed as he realized what he'd just said

'I'd say that's _exactly_ what it's for and I can't believe you never told me about it!' Neal continued, his annoyance slowly growing into resentment

The waitress returned with their order and glanced down at the bottle of pills on the table, noting the look of embarrassment as the men exchanged awkward glances. She smiled kindly at the two of them surmising their likely intimate relationship; after all, she was just as liberal-minded as anybody else.

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'She keeps _staring_ at us and smiling' Peter whispered as he glanced over at the waitress who lingered nearby

'She thinks we're a couple, Peter' Neal said dismissively as he checked his phone

'Well, let's set her straight, then!' Peter said, somewhat irate 'Not that there's anything wrong with...'

'Then why are you making such a big deal out of it?' Neal asked, annoyed at the fact that Peter would care about such a thing

Peter snapped his attention back to the conversation at hand.

'So anyway, El's expecting me to call her and let her know if you're coming for dinner or not' Peter said nonchalantly

'Yeah' Neal said as he glanced down at his phone 'Sara says we're good so... what time?'

'Around 6:30, I think' Peter answered, trying to sound casual

Neal nodded as he took in the look of discomfort in Peter's eyes. He could see the waitress out of the corner of his eye, making her way to their table to deliver the check and as she got within earshot and without a moment's hesitation, he reached out and gently took Peter's hand in his.

'Don't worry, babe. We'll get through this' Neal said softly as Peter rolled his eyes and glared back in disbelief

TBC


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter 52**

'What serving plate did you want to use for the mini-quiches?' asked Emily Ellis-Foster as Elizabeth made one of her runs through the kitchen

'That one' El pointed 'No, no, the other one' she corrected

'Auntie Elizabeth!' Hope called out as she poked her head in through the back door 'Carmen wants to know how many place settings you want out here'

'I'll take care of it' Yvonne said, with efficiency, as she dropped what she was doing and headed out to join Hope in the backyard

The place was buzzing as everyone tended to their appointed tasks and despite the apparent chaos, Elizabeth Burke was on cloud nine. She loved catering special events and she especially loved the last few hours before everything finally came together – the time when things went from hectic to perfect. But above all else, she looooved catering events for family and friends – her standards were exacting and she knew that by the end of the evening, everyone would have had a great time and would be raving about how she'd outdone herself... once again.

The front door was heard opening and Peter appeared. He'd been hoping to make himself scarce; El was always frazzled in the last few hours before an event and he wanted to avoid being drafted for some inane task like standing at the stovetop, stirring some sauce for the foreseeable future (which had already happened on two previous occasions).

'Hey honey' he said nonchalantly as he took in the bedlam in his kitchen and living room

Elizabeth was getting something out of the freezer, Emily was busy with the appetizers, Liam and Mozzie were fiddling with some streamers in the living room and he could see Hope and Cam in the backyard with Yvonne and a woman he'd never seen before.

'Hi honey' Elizabeth responded, her head still firmly ensconced in the freezer 'You're just in time, I need you to keep an eye on the béchamel for me'

Peter rolled his eyes – even _he_ knew that was a sauce. He made his way to the kitchen as he greeted everyone, stopping to hug Emily whom he hadn't seen in a while and he walked over to the sink to wash his hands before he got started on sauce duty.

'Hey' El said as she made her way over, giving him a peck on the cheek 'How did it go with Neal?'

'Fine. We're good, he doesn't have a clue' said Peter as he reached over and attempted to take a nibble from a nearby plate

Elizabeth was quick to slap his hand away and Peter looked at her pleadingly as she finally reached for it herself, picking up a tasty morsel and placing it gingerly into his grateful mouth.

WCWCWC

Sara stepped into the house, relieved to hear silence; maybe Neal wasn't back from brunch yet and she could avoid the 'Caffrey inquisition'. Not that Neal was a control freak, far from it; he was just a very curious and observant man and he was always acutely aware of everything that was happening around him – no doubt a throwback to his conman days when missing some small detail might have ended up costing him his life.

She walked towards the kitchen and just about jumped out of her skin when she heard him call out to her from the nearby family room.

'There you are! I wondered where you'd gotten to' Neal said from his spot on the couch

He was half sitting, half lying there, looking a little worse for wear, most certainly not the dynamo he'd been in bed the night before.

'You're home!' she called out, hoping for a successful deflection but that was not to be

'Where were you?' he asked as he sat up

'Just... doing a little bit of shopping' she lied, hoping that would be the end of that

'What did you buy?' Neal asked, a dog with a bone

'Nothing. There were no good sales on' she responded as she walked over to him, figuring she needed to go with another approach

She plopped herself down on the couch, smiling wanly, hoping she could distract him from his current line of questioning.

'Since when do you only buy stuff on sale?' he asked teasingly as he jostled her

She gave him the wifely eye roll and spotted June's portrait on the nearby easel.

'Oh, honey, you worked on the painting!' she said 'It's really coming along'

Neal fell for the ploy and turned his eyes towards the work in progress. He'd been working on it sporadically and he hadn't made much headway in the past week as he concentrated on his rehabilitation and the preparations for their anniversary dinner.

'What do you think?' he asked, wanting her take on it

Sara didn't often get the chance to see Neal's works in progress; the studio was strictly his and Hope's domain and he tended to wait until a piece was finished before showing it to her.

'I think it's going to be gorgeous' said Sara as she put a hand on his back, rubbing gently

Neal let himself fall back into her arms, his head nuzzled in the crook of her neck and he let out a small plaintive moan.

'I think there's a reason 54-year-old men aren't supposed to have sex three times in an eight hour period' he lamented as he put his arm around her waist to snuggle even closer

Sara laughed gently; she was also feeling the effects of their vigorous lovemaking and she could only imagine how Neal must be feeling, considering he was still recovering from some very serious injuries.

'Well, it was fun while it lasted' she said, thinking back to the night before

'I was fine until I got back from brunch and then it hit me like a ton of bricks' he added, his voice almost childlike, obviously fishing for some TLC

'Awww!' she said in sympathy as she squeezed him tight

'Did I remember to say thank you for last night?' Sara added as she lovingly ran her hand through his hair

'Only seventeen times...' Neal responded, laughing softly 'I'm really glad you had a good time'

They sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying each other's presence; Sara thought Neal might have drifted off but he piped up and spoke, his voice quiet.

'Hope and I worked things out yesterday. I gave her my blessing to stay behind and help with the gallery... and the new school' he said

'I'm glad' Sara answered 'It's going to be nice to have her around a little bit longer'

'Now that school's out, she's going to work full time at the gallery and I've got her coming with me to visit two potential sites for the art school next week'

'Oh yeah? Where?' asked Sara

'In Manhattan' Neal responded, running his fingers mindlessly over Sara's arm

'Where do most of the referrals from schools come from?' she asked, referring to the gallery's habit of subsidizing underprivileged families

Neal thought for a second, finally sitting up, suddenly animated.

'Honey, you're a genius!' he exclaimed

Although Sara was glad for the compliment, she had no idea what Neal was talking about.

'Why would we set up the school in Manhattan where it's so far from the kids who'll be using it?' he reasoned 'We should set up where the kids are'

Once his 'aha' moment was over, he let himself fall back into Sara's arms and grew quiet again, no doubt thinking through what this would mean in terms of strategy. Once again, Sara was convinced Neal had fallen asleep and she was beginning to feel herself fade when Neal spoke again.

'Why don't we just stay home tonight?' he said, curling up in his wife's arms 'I'm sure Peter and El will understand if we cancel'

Her eyes grew to the size of saucers as she tried to come up with a response that wouldn't blow her cover and give away the fact that over twenty of their closest friends and family members would be expecting them in less than four hours. She took a deep breath so the panic wouldn't seep into her voice and she finally spoke, her voice calm and composed.

'Why don't you take a nap and see how you feel later' she answered, buying time

'Okay' he said softly, settling into her arms 'Are you going to sleep with me?'

They were both nice and comfy on the couch and Sara just nodded as she put her head back, feigning fatigue. She had bought herself a bit of time and her mind reeled as she thought of some of the tactics she might have to resort to in order to get Neal over to the party.

Before she finished forming a single thought, she heard Neal's soft snoring.

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'Carmen, you're a genius!' Elizabeth said as she took in the look of their transformed backyard

The kids' party lady had a real knack when it came to organizing children's parties and she'd set up a number of games for them to play and an eating area complete with a candy floss machine that El knew the kids would go crazy for.

'And you'll get them fed and keep them entertained all through dinner?' Elizabeth asked

'Until the guests are ready to leave' answered the young, energetic woman 'Can we go over the ages once again?'

'Well, you've got Bea who's fifteen months old, Jonathan's four, Michael is six, Virginia is ten and Olivia is eleven... and then there's Mozzie...' Elizabeth added, pointing to the bespectacled man who could be seen through the open door.

He was giggling like a two year old as he and Liam inhaled helium from the balloons and took turns singing Chipmunks songs.

'Oh, I see, an honorary kid' Carmen nodded knowingly

El just laughed as she returned to the task of coordinating things in the kitchen. Just one more hour and the guests would be starting to arrive.

WCWCWC

Sara slipped out of Neal's firm grasp and managed to settle him down on the couch without him waking up. The last week had been exhausting and it had obviously taken its toll on him. She tiptoed up the stairs, taking in the vestiges from the night before as she stepped into their bedroom: the empty bottle of champagne, the half burned candles, the unmade bed. She began to tidy up and within minutes, she was riffling through their closet to find their clothes for the dinner party.

Ever since she and El had concocted the plan, she had been on the lookout for something to wear for the special occasion. It was a fairly casual affair with kids invited so it was definitely not formal but she'd wanted to look nice for Neal and she grabbed for the pretty little number she'd bought at Holt Renfrew's a few weeks back: a lovely knee length tangerine colored sleeveless dress with a lace overlay over a sheer silk material. In some ways, it reminded her of the dress Neal had just bought her as well as the dress she'd worn for their wedding all those years ago. She hadn't wanted to set off any alarm bells by getting Neal a new outfit so she looked through the many choices on his side of the closet coming up with a gorgeous striped shirt in a similar hue of pale tangerine with darker stripes.

She went to his tie rack, finding the perfect matching tie which she was planning to hide in her purse until they got there. He would be suspicious if she suggested he wear a tie to a casual dinner at the Burkes; she was going to have enough trouble as it was explaining her choice of dress. She lay everything out on the bed and made her way to the shower, hoping that Neal was having a very restful sleep and would be in fine form for another great evening of celebration.

It was already five o'clock when she made her way downstairs in a robe to check on Neal; if she gave him too much of a hard sell, he would become suspicious so she simply sauntered into the room, hearing him stir as she walked by.

'Hey' he said, his voice sleepy as he lifted his head off the couch

She walked over and stood in front of him, trying to gauge his state of mind.

'Feeling better?' she asked, holding her breath

He frowned as he looked up at her, his eyes narrowing as things came into focus.

TBC


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53**

Neal looked up at his wife, his sleepy eyes finally coming into focus. She stood there in front of him, wearing a white terrycloth robe and apparently nothing else and Neal reached out, pulling on the sash and watching with interest as the robe fell open revealing all of Sara.

'I'm feeling _pretty_ good' he said suggestively

'Neal!' she exclaimed, exasperated 'What are you doing? You were just complaining about how tired you were'

'Well, I had a really good nap...' he murmured as he pulled her in closer and brought his mouth to her belly, kissing it lazily

'I don't think the effects of that pill last this long' she uttered, trying not to give in to the sensation of his lips which were suddenly travelling to parts south of her belly button

'This is _all me_, baby' he murmured not bothering to slow down

'Honey' she said as she attempted to pull away 'What about dinner at the Burkes?'

'We'll get there... eventually' he whispered huskily as his hands began to wander to places that caused Sara's breathing to falter and to momentarily forget about dinner – what dinner?

She couldn't believe he was at it again and she resolved to look things up online and find out just what the deal was with this little blue pill. Pushing him away would only make him suspicious - the way she looked at it, she had two options: she could fight him or she could join in.

Fighting had never been her style.

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'Sara texted that they're running a little late' Elizabeth announced to all the guests assembled

She noticed Peter giving her a questioning look as he made his way over to where she stood.

'Running a little late?' he asked

'Don't ask; she said Neal was tired and needed a nap so they're a little bit behind schedule' Elizabeth added as she prepared to return to the kitchen to refill the appetizer plates

Peter thought back to the conversation they'd had at brunch; he had his suspicions and looking into his wife's eyes, he surmised she might be thinking the same thing.

'Everybody, have a drink and enjoy!' she said to the revelers

The room was animated, the kids running in and out as they intermittently checked on their parents, returning to the fun and games they were having in the Burkes' backyard. No one seemed to be disappointed by the guests of honor's late arrival as everyone chatted and caught up on each other's busy lives. Diana was chatting animatedly with Emily, a drink in hand while Mozzie and Jones could be heard arguing – probably about some government conspiracy – and Christie was helping El and Hope get more appetizers on the table while Sam and Lydia sat chatting with Ivy, Clinton's wife.

It was a party all right; all that was missing now was the happy couple.

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'You look beautiful' Neal said, gazing over at his wife as she navigated the bridge towards Brooklyn

'So you've said...' Sara responded as she glanced fondly at the Adonis sitting next to her in the car '...several times'

Neal was a puzzle, an enigma at times and although she'd been cohabitating with him for almost twenty years, she never quite knew _what_ to expect. He was spontaneous, impulsive and it was impossible to know where his heart would take him on any given day. Of course, this happened to be one of the more endearing traits about her husband just as it was the most infuriating at times but she'd learned to roll with the punches over their eighteen year marriage. His sudden amorous élans were part of the package and far be it from her to curtail his sudden unexpected urges.

'I haven't worn this shirt in a while' he said looking down at the outfit Sara had chosen for him to wear 'I actually forgot I had it'

He seemed to be thinking things through and Sara waited for the other shoe to drop.

'Aren't we a little overdressed for dinner with Peter and El?' he asked for the second time

'I told you, Elizabeth said she was whipping up a special dinner for our anniversary. I figure the least we could do is to make a bit of an effort' Sara said

He apparently bought the explanation as he continued to look out the car window, relaxed and seemingly oblivious to what – and who – was waiting for him at the other end.

'I haven't seen the kids all day. Where _are _they anyway?' he asked a few seconds later

Nothing ever escaped Neal's scrutiny and Sara had a readymade answer for his latest query.

'I thought I told you... Hope is spending the weekend at Cam's and Liam called and said he was still at Will's. You sure you can manage the steps up to the house?' she asked, changing the subject

'It's only seven steps, I'll take my time' he answered, thrilled that there were now fewer impediments to him moving around successfully from A to point B.

He had his dependable walker in the back of the car and that would be plenty of support for getting around the small space at the Burkes. He was more than ready to resume a normal life and now that he'd said goodbye to Edna, he was anxious to bid Bertha a fond farewell as well and he couldn't be happier to leave the two old broads behind.

They finally pulled up to the front of the house on DeKalb, the street inundated with cars and Sara double parked so she could help Neal up the steps and walk in with him; she was barely managing to keep her excitement in check and she looked forward to seeing his face as he realized that all their friends were there for him... for them. Her heart skipped a beat as she stepped out to help Neal out of the car. It was show time!

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'There here!' Liam exclaimed

He'd been acting as lookout as he sat on the Burkes' living room couch peeking out between the curtains like some neighborhood busybody.

'Everybody!' Peter said in a shouted whisper 'There here!'

The guests took their assigned positions for the big reveal, intent on keeping Neal in the dark until the last possible second. The younger kids were engrossed in a game of 'duck, duck, goose' in the backyard and El pulled the back door closed halfway so they wouldn't be immediately visible from the front door as she set out to welcome Neal and Sara. She stood, holding her breath and from his vantage point, Peter saw her gasp as she looked out the door at their guests who were making their way up the steps.

She glanced at Peter from his hiding place behind the bookcase 'Neal's climbing up the stairs' she whispered, her voice choked up as she watched their friend struggle with the task

Everyone held their breath for what seemed like forever; a month before, Neal would have sprinted up those steps two at a time but today, the climb was long and painfully arduous. El could see Sara holding his arm as Neal dragged himself up each step with the help of the ramp, the struggle obvious on his strained face. It was quite the sight and Elizabeth watched in awe noticing Neal smile with unbridled satisfaction as he finally reached the landing. Sara opened the outer door to the house to find Elizabeth standing there, eyes watery and a big smile on her face.

'Hi! Sara told me about your latest exploit but that's quite a sight to see' she said to a grinning Neal

He took the last big step into the house proper as Elizabeth and Sara both held onto to him. He was breathing hard from the effort but he was obviously pleased not to have to count on his wheelchair anymore. They had just stepped through the inner door with everyone braced to come out of the kitchen to greet them when, pre-emptively, little Beatrice ran in from the backyard, spotting her godfather and with a loud shriek, she ran towards him with all the enthusiasm of a 15 month old.

'Neeeeeal' she squealed at the sight of him

Neal looked up to see her sprinting towards him, bracing himself against Sara as the toddler made a run for him, her arms wide open, gunning for his legs and within the blink of an eye, she had her arms firmly clasped around his knees as she giggled uncontrollably. She hadn't seen him in over a week and Neal bent down awkwardly as he attempted to pick her up just as Sara intervened, swooping in and taking the child into her arms so that Neal could hug her.

'Bibi? What are _you_ doing here?' Neal cried out, totally confused as to what his goddaughter could possibly be doing in the Burke house

Before he could form a single coherent theory to explain the toddler's presence, the remainder of the guests appeared in his field of vision with a hearty chant of 'Surprise' as Neal stepped back in shock almost losing his balance in the process.

The look on his face was priceless as he suddenly computed that the Burkes' living room was decked out for a party and that the house was filled with all those he held dearest. He suddenly spotted Emily in the crowd as well as Hope and Liam who ran over to give him a warm hug, taking him by the arms and leading him to a nearby armchair as everyone gathered around to greet him and Sara. His legs were suddenly unsteady but his face was lit up like a Christmas tree as one by one, the guests made their way to where he sat, Neal's mouth still hanging open as he took in the sight of all those loving faces surrounding him.

'I'll go move the car' Hope offered as she took the keys from her mom's hand

'And can you bring in your dad's walker?' Sara added as she and Cam left temporarily

Sara watched Neal grinning uncontrollably as adults and kids alike paraded to greet him, one by one. He looked like he was holding court as Sara sat next to him on the arm of the chair, accepting hugs and best wishes for their anniversary.

'Uncle Neal!' said Virginia as she ran in from the back of the pack to hug him

'Ginny! How are _you_, sweetie?' he asked as Diana and Christie looked on with a warm smile

Neal was a wonderful uncle to their two girls and Diana and Christie's offspring loved his outlandish stories about his years spent at the FBI, especially since Neal took every occasion to embellish the tales, to their moms' dismay.

The place began to slowly settle down as everyone returned to party mode with the loud buzzing of multiple conversations punctuated by the happy giggles of the children in the backyard.

'Why is it _you _don't look surprised?' Neal asked when he was temporarily alone with Sara

'Why do you think?' she asked in return, grinning the wide grin of someone who'd managed to pull the wool over Neal Caffrey's conman eyes

Neal hadn't stopped smiling since they'd arrived and he continued with the loopy grin, putting his arm around his wife and pulling her in for a thank you kiss.

'I was afraid we wouldn't make it when you said you were tired and then when you woke up... well I'm just glad I didn't slip up' she admitted as she ran her hand gently over his forehead, returning a wayward strand of hair back into his near perfectly coiffed mane.

'Oh, here' she added as she grabbed for her purse and handed him the beautiful tangerine colored tie. He gave it back to her, eyebrows raised, silently asking her to do the honors. He struggled to stand and she tried to hold him back.

'No' he said sappily 'I want to look into your eyes when you do it'

She giggled at the thought and gave him a hand to stand as she began to lovingly place the tie around his neck.

'Neal Caffrey' she said with a slightly exasperated sigh 'You are the most sentimental fool I have ever met'

'Would you want me any other way?' he asked as he kept staring into her eyes, oblivious to the chatter and laughter surrounding them

'No' she admitted as she ran her hand lovingly over the gorgeous tie and, allowing herself a moment of uncharacteristic over-sentimentality, she added 'Absolutely not!'

TBC


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54**

'I am _so _glad you're here' Sara said as she sat in a quiet corner of the kitchen, sharing a glass of wine with her big sister

'Where else _would_ I be?' answered Emily as she took Sara's hand

'When I think of all the years we spent apart...' Sara began wistfully

'Let's think ahead to all the years we've got left instead, okay?' answered her sister, wisely

'He looks pretty happy' she added, changing the subject and pointing to Neal who was talking animatedly with Jones in the nearby living room

Sara grinned as she took in the sight of her smiling husband, looking just as he should, relaxed, confident, enjoying the attention and obviously thrilled to be surrounded by those he loved.

'He does, doesn't he?' she responded, not so secretly pleased with herself

'Looks like we managed to pull it off' said Elizabeth as she joined the Ellis sisters

'For a while there, I wasn't so sure I was going to be able to get him here' Sara said, laughing as she recalled their impromptu encounter before finally leaving the house

'Well, you did good' El said as she patted her arm 'Looks like he's having a great time'

WCWCWC

'Anyway, it's great to see you up and about' Jones said as he stood to tend to one of his boys who was calling for his daddy

'You too, man' said Neal shaking his friend's hand, gansta style

Peter appeared carrying libations as Jones retreated temporarily to the back of the house.

'Wine?' Peter asked as he handed Neal a glass of fine red

'Thanks' Neal said with a grin; he hadn't stopped smiling since he'd stepped into the house

'So, we finally managed to con the great Neal Caffrey' Peter said, rather proud of himself for managing not to spill the beans

'I guess I was so focussed on my anniversary surprise for Sara, my radar wasn't working at full capacity' Neal admitted

'It's not often we can pull one over on _you_, buddy' said Peter

Neal shrugged in defeat.

'So, are you still upset about this afternoon?' Neal asked, referring to their little tête à tête at the diner

Peter shook his head in irritation, still smarting from the waitress' knowing wink as they left, Neal surreptitiously slipping his arm into Peter's.

'Don't get me started...' Peter said in mock annoyance as Neal giggled to himself

'Thanks for this, Peter' he said, his face turning serious '...and for everything. You and El have _really _been there for us since all this happened'

'What are friends for?' Peter said dismissively 'You've been there for us plenty of times'

'Well, I do appreciate everything you've done to keep the gallery afloat these last few weeks... and for talking to Hope' Neal added

'She's a great kid!' Peter said as he spied her nearby with little Bea in her arms

'She is' Neal answered, thoughtfully 'and we get to keep her home with us 'til Christmas'

Peter was pleased with the outcome – Hope had wanted to stay behind more than anything and now that Neal was looking to open the June Ellington School of Art, she would be able to be in on some of the planning.

'When do you think you'll be ready to open the school?' Peter asked

'As soon as possible' Neal responded 'We just need to find the right place'

'And what's the right place?' Peter asked

'The right _location_ for one thing, near the kids who can most benefit from it' Neal mused '... _and_ it needs a large lobby'

Peter frowned at Neal's last comment and before he could ask why the size of the lobby was a factor in his choice, Yvonne summoned everyone to the table for dinner. The kids had eaten a little earlier and Carmen, the party lady, was gathering them in the backyard for a movie under the stars, complete with popcorn and cotton candy.

Dinner was a great success; the food, amazing and the company, excellent. The steady hum of banter didn't let up for a moment as conversation flowed without interruption, punctuated by sips of the delicious wine and bites of pure bliss. Sara sat next to Neal and every few minutes she would sneak a glance his way, noticing how relaxed he looked and how he seemed in his element. She was thrilled to be able to give him something so precious for their wedding anniversary: the company of their nearest and dearest friends.

Mozzie had grabbed his plate and headed out to join the younger set outside; he could be heard laughing hysterically as the soundtrack of 'Finding Nemo' wafted through the house.

Hope and Liam sat at the 'grownup' table looking so very mature, both of them involved in conversations with the adults around them. Liam, especially, had really grown throughout this ordeal. Losing his grandmother and having his dad seriously injured had brought out the best in him and he'd matured in ways Sara was still coming to terms with. He was her baby and she'd been protective of him for the better part of thirteen years, keeping him safe and healthy and now, it appeared, not only could he successfully fend for himself, he was there to support those around him.

Sara snuck a peek at Hope and Cam, noticing his hand was on her lap; the two of them exchanging furtive glances which she immediately recognized as a prelude to more intimate exchanges. She and Neal still shared those very same longing looks almost twenty years after committing to each other and she knew from the look in her daughter's eyes that Hope had fallen in love with this quiet, unassuming young man. Their family was changing and suddenly Sara felt a twinge of sadness at the realization that the kids wouldn't be with them forever.

'You okay?' she heard as Neal's hand suddenly appeared on hers

She turned to look into his eyes, noticing the light from the candles dancing in that sea of blue.

'Yeah' she said wiping the corner of her eye 'I'm just really happy to be here with all our friends'

'Thanks Repo. This was a _wonderful_ surprise' he said, his voice low, as he leaned in slightly towards her

Suddenly, they could hear the clanging of glasses as the guests, who'd picked up on the intimate moment, began to clamor for a kiss from the happy couple.

Neal gave an obligatory eye roll before deciding to give them their money's worth and leaning into Sara, he gave her a long passionate kiss to the hoots and hollers of the all the guests.

WCWCWC

By ten o'clock, the party started winding down slowly but surely as the excitement of the festivities finally caught up to the little ones.

Neal sat in the Burkes' living room with little Bea sound asleep, snuggled up in his lap, and Michael and Jonathan Jones on either side of him as he finished up reading 'Goodnight Moon' to his captive audience. He _loved_ that book; he'd read it countless times to both his kids over the years. It had a calming effect on them when they were little and Neal relished the opportunity of reliving those precious moments with his beloved goddaughter, little Beatrice Sara Jordan. It always had the same effect on her – she'd start by studying Neal's expressive face with her big blue eyes as he read, hanging on to his every word, eventually turning her attention to the book when he got to the part about the 'three little bears sitting on chairs'. She rarely made it all the way to the end of the story, usually petering out sometime around the 'goodnight kittens and goodnight mittens' part of the book and Neal would _always_ keep reading to the very end for his own enjoyment.

This night was no exception and she lay, cradled in Neal's arms, as he continued reading for the two little guys who sat in rapt attention on either side of him, hanging on to his every word. Sara watched in wonder, noticing how the cadence of Neal's voice had them all captivated as their eyes went from the page back to his animated face. He was a wonderful dad and a terrific uncle and godfather and he loved every minute he got to spend with the children in his life.

Olivia and Virginia Berrigan gravitated to where Neal sat, finishing up the story as the Jones boys looked on, barely able to keep their eyes open. Not only was Neal Caffrey a chick magnet, he was a kid magnet too and had been all his life.

'That book is for babies' complained Olivia, the older of the two, as she stood nearby

'Oh, yeah?' said Neal 'I _love_ this book; it's one of my favorites'

'Really?' Virginia added as she poked her head out from behind her big sister

'Sure' Neal said

'I like it too' she admitted shyly

'Michael, why don't you scoot over and make room for Ginny' Neal asked as the child slid down the couch to make room for the little girl

Virginia slipped in between him and Neal in the warm spot Michael had vacated and she found just the right angle to curl up against her uncle's solid body as he put an arm around her.

'Can you tell us about the time you and my mom caught the bad guy who wanted to hurt Sara?' asked Olivia

The same stories had been making the rounds for years and every time Neal told them, they were further embellished, becoming larger than life.

'Oh, now that's an epic tale!' Neal declared as he closed the book on his lap, careful not to disturb little Bea's quiet slumber

All eyes were on Neal as he began, all five children around him, mesmerized.

'Your mom... and your dad' he added as he looked at the boys '...are the bravest FBI agents in the whole New York office. Everybody says so. Whenever the other agents see them coming, they hide under their desks, trembling with fear'

The boys listened, their eyes wide as Neal spoke while he gave Olivia a wink. At eleven, she loved to hear about her mom's exploits as 'Badass Berrigan' but she was nowhere near as gullible as the younger boys were.

'This one time' Neal said, dropping his voice to barely a whisper 'Auntie Sara and I were trying to stop a bad guy who had stolen a _very_ expensive violin. Your mom and I were backing her up and we were listening to what was going on from the FBI van'

He stopped momentarily to make sure his interpretation of the tall tale was having the desired effect on his targeted audience. Seeing the look in little Ginny's eyes, he continued, his voice growing louder as he communicated the excitement of the moment he was recounting.

'The bad man wanted to hurt Sara so your mom and I _rushed _in to save her and we got there _just_ in the nick of time. Your mom was _very_ brave and she _wrestled_ the man to the ground until he cried uncle and then she arrested him and dragged him back to the FBI by his hair while he screamed like a little baby all the way back' he concluded as gasps were heard from the two little boys

The audience, or at least the segment of the audience that was under three feet tall, sat enthralled as Neal recounted the embellished tale despite the profusion of eye-rolling from the adults nearby.

'And then, there was the time your daddy had to help me and Uncle Peter get ready for a boxing match. We were trying to catch a bad guy and your dad was teaching us how to pretend to fight so we wouldn't hurt each other. He had to plant a bug in the boxing ring while the bad guys weren't looking and he _almost_ got caught but he didn't care. He was _fearless_' he added as Ivy Jones looked over at her husband in mock admiration

The kids continued to listen, fascinated, as Neal regaled them with a few other choice anecdotes before Clinton and Ivy finally pulled the plug and decided it was time to call it a night. They packed up their boys, thanking their hosts and wishing everyone a good night.

'You know, you really have to stop with those glorified stories' Peter said

'What are you talking about Peter? I'll have you know, those are _factual_ and an integral part of the FBI folklore' Neal said with a naughty smile

Peter responded with a smirk; truth was, he loved to watch Neal in action with the kids and over the years he'd often wished he'd had the ability to interact with them like his best friend did. Except for his relationship with Hope which had been free and easy from day one – mainly because of Hope's easygoing nature – Peter had always been self-conscious around children and he never quite knew how to behave in their presence. Neal seemed to hit it off with every kid that crossed his path - perhaps, Peter mused, because he was impulsive and spontaneous just like them.

One by one, the parents collected their offspring, Hope, Liam and Cameron disappeared into the night and Emily headed to her hotel room, leaving the Burkes and the Caffreys to relax with a fine glass of scotch from Peter's private reserve.

Neal sat, his arm around Sara while Peter and Elizabeth snuggled nearby, the women's shoes strewn on the ground and the guys' ties hanging limply from their shirt collars.

'This was an _amazing_ night' Neal declared as he took a long, slow pull of the amber liquid

'It was!' Sara agreed, her head lying back on the couch

'I'm really glad it lived up to your expectations' Elizabeth said as she curled into Peter

She looked like she was about to fall asleep right there in the middle of the living room and she let her eyes close temporarily as Peter pulled her in to him.

'El, you are by far the best hostess in all of the tri state area' Neal said, lifting his glass to toast their tired friend

'Anything for you guys' El said with a smile 'Don't you know that by now?'

Peter smiled lovingly at his wife; she always put her money where her mouth was, living proof of the motto that actions speak louder than words.

Although the four of them were exhausted - particularly Neal - nobody wanted to move and they sat there for a long time, enjoying the comfortable silence, the solid companionship and the excellent taste and aroma of the fine Glenfiddich.

The drive home was quiet, Neal trying his best not to fall asleep so he could keep the driver company.

'Honey, I love that you thought to plan this party' he said, reaching out to take her hand

'And I love that you loved it' she answered with a faraway smile

'Would you be okay if we slept on the hide-a-bed tonight? I don't think I could make it up those stairs' he said with a long sigh

'We can sleep _wherever_ you want' she responded softly and despite his best efforts, Neal felt his eyes close as the streetlights glowed intermittently on his tired face

TBC


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55**

In hindsight, there had been warning signs as early as Sunday night. Neal had been particularly tired all day Sunday and he'd excused himself right after dinner to climb the stairs up to the bedroom and get ready for bed. He was hoping to put in a full day at the gallery on Monday and he'd arranged to visit a property in Silver Beach late in the afternoon. Cindy and Hope we're going along with him and although it was the first place they'd be checking out, Neal had a good feeling about its potential as their future school.

By the time Sara made it up to bed, Neal was dead to the world and she happily curled up alongside him, daring to hope that they had finally turned the corner and that things were gradually getting back to normal. Being back in their bedroom was a huge breakthrough and if Neal didn't overdo it and used the stairs just once in the morning and again at night, he could somehow manage them which, in and of itself, was a very encouraging sign.

On Monday, Neal had felt rundown but he'd managed to go through the motions at the gallery, greeting customers, meeting with a new artist and doing some inventory. Peter had commented on how pale and tired his partner looked but Neal had shrugged it off as the result of an overly busy weekend considering his surprise for Sara and the party on the Saturday night. Despite Neal's protests, Peter had been sufficiently concerned to give Sara a heads up when Neal finally left to meet the real estate agent with Hope.

By dinner time, Neal looked ragged, his legs were shaky and he could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest. He begged off on dinner, electing to go lie down for an hour or so and when Sara checked in on him at around 8:00, he was sleeping restlessly and she began to wonder if she should take him to the hospital to get him checked out.

Tuesday morning was their regular appointment with Dr. Miller and Sara decided to take a 'wait and see' approach before going into full-fledged panic mode. One thing was for sure: Neal seemed to be fighting something and it was anybody's guess whether or not he would succeed without some sort of medical intervention.

Sara woke with a start a little past 2:00 in the morning to find Neal shaking uncontrollably as he coughed non-stop; he was obviously running a fever, his eyes were glazed over and she immediately noticed that he was sweating profusely.

'Neal?' she asked as she turned on the bedside lamp in order to better check him out

He moaned as the light flooded the room, making his displeasure known in no uncertain terms. The sheets were soaked in sweat and his eyes, when they finally opened, were wild and unfocussed.

'Honey, you're burning up' Sara said as she reached out to touch his forehead

'Hmmmph' he muttered, pushing her hand away 'I just want to sleep'

Dr. Miller had been clear about Neal's increased risk of infection and even though he was taking a low dose of antibiotics to counteract the absence of his spleen, he was still at a higher risk for catching bugs that floated unsuspectingly nearby.

'Neal, look at me' Sara said, as she tried to get him to focus 'We need to get you checked out'

'I'm fine... just tired' he muttered in response, his voice sleepy, much like a five-year-old whose mom was trying to get him out of bed to go to school

Sara rose from the bed, ignoring his protests and started to rummage around for something to change into; she'd been sufficiently spooked by Dr. Miller's dire warnings and she wasn't about to take any chances. She found the phone number for Neal's case coordinator and considering the late hour, her call was redirected to the emergency room at Bellevue Hospital, where a triage nurse came on the line.

'How high is his fever?' she asked as Sara scrambled to find the thermometer in the medicine cabinet

'I haven't managed to take it yet. He's being uncooperative... but the sheets are soaked and so is he' Sara said, finally remembering that the thermometer was still in Liam's room from his recent bout with the flu

'I suggest you bring him in' said the nurse 'We'll make sure you don't have to wait too long'

Sara nodded and thanked the woman, opening the door to Liam's room and trying to make it to his bedside without disturbing her son's sleep.

'What's going on?' he mumbled as he sat up in bed

'It's Daddy. He's running a fever - I'm going to have to take him to the hospital' she responded as she finally located the thermometer

Without hesitation, Liam climbed out of bed, following his mom back to his parents' bedroom. He watched as Sara coaxed Neal to open his mouth and let her take his temperature and he turned to leave, returning barely a minute later, fully clothed.

'I'm coming with you' Liam declared as he reappeared

His dad was a solid 175 pounds, practically dead weight at the moment and he didn't want his mom to have to struggle with getting him to the hospital on her own. She smiled, thankful that she wasn't alone to weather this latest crisis.

'Dad' Liam said, taking charge 'Sit up and I'll help you change into some clothes'

Neal opened one eye, wincing in pain as he let out a painful, phlegmy cough and he attempted to turn over in the bed choosing to ignore his son's request. Liam grabbed his arm and physically pulled him into a sitting position as his dad groaned in protest. In no time, Liam had managed to get him into a pair of track pants and a t-shirt as Neal sat, barely able to keep from keeling over. His objections, although vocal, were soft and plaintive and he didn't seem to have the energy needed to fight off his son.

'How are we going to get him downstairs?' Sara asked, worried

'Do you think we should call an ambulance?' Liam asked his mom as he subconsciously pushed away the image of his dad tumbling down the staircase and landing in a heap at the bottom

'NO!' Neal suddenly screamed in a loud voice that both of them were surprised to hear 'No ambulance!'

'Dad, if you don't want an ambulance, then you have to do what Mom and I tell you' Liam said, setting the ground rules in no uncertain terms

Neal's attempt at a response triggered another coughing fit, rendering him unable to protest and he nodded in understanding as Liam and Sara stood on either side of him to help him off the bed. His legs were rubbery and unstable and he faltered for a moment before grabbing the edge of his walker which Sara had brought closer. He managed to drag himself the short distance to the top of the staircase as Liam and Sara spotted him on either side. The short trek had totally exhausted him and he shook, coughing uncontrollably as Liam helped him slither to the ground right at the top of the stairs.

Sara and Liam exchanged worried looks; how were they ever going to get him safely to the car? Despite his superior problem-solving skills, Neal Caffrey was presently unable to contribute to finding a solution to their quandary and he sat there, helpless, as his breathing became shallower and suddenly, he spoke, surprising them both.

'I'm gonna... throw up' he said weakly as Liam momentarily left his side and ran to get the trash can from the bathroom

He returned just in time for Neal to deposit the small snack he'd had that afternoon, gasping for air from the effort he was exerting. Neal kept clutching his chest and he looked up at Sara, connecting with her, his eyes watery, his face glistening, dredged in sweat.

'What about if you go down on your bum?' Sara suggested while she had Neal's undivided attention

He nodded weakly as he prepared to let himself slip down the first step.

'Whoa, whoa, just a minute Dad. I'll get in front of you and Mom will hold your arm' Liam said as he took the first few steps down, turning to face his dad.

Despite the overwhelming odds against them, the trio managed to make it down the stairs with Neal arriving at the bottom shaking uncontrollably, his breathing shallow and irregular. The wheelchair was still in the house and Liam ran to get it, settling his dad into the contraption Neal had somehow hoped he'd never need again. He looked up weakly from Sara to Liam and back again, his face sad at the realization.

'It's okay, honey. It's just a small setback' Sara ventured, reading into his thoughts

The effort required to lift him into the car was considerable but once he was safely placed in the back seat next to his son, he let himself fall into Liam's side, sleeping off and on as he continued to shake uncontrollably despite the warm summer night. Sara's hands trembled as she prepared to drive all the way into Manhattan, thankful for the light traffic in the middle of the night and hoping there'd be help at the other end to get Neal out of the car and into the ER. Her prayers were answered when upon arrival, an orderly came out with a wheelchair, practically lifting Neal and placing him into the chair before wheeling him inside. As promised, the wait was short, Neal having been deemed a high priority case and within ten minutes of their arrival, the threesome was settled in a small examination area at the back of the emergency room.

Neal's face appeared calmer as he lay, undisturbed on the bed. Between the violent coughing fits, he somehow managed to catnap, his forehead glistening, his breathing uneven.

The curtain was pulled back and Sara looked up in relief, recognizing Dr. Mercer, the same doctor who had tended to Neal on both his recent visits to the ER over the past month.

'Hi' he said in greeting 'If this keeps up, we're going to have to let you guys in on our frequent flyer program'

Sara smiled weakly; it was nice to see a familiar face while she dealt with this new crisis and now that Neal was safely in hospital, she was confident that the doctor would be able to do something for him. Sara and Liam stepped away from Neal's side to give Dr. Mercer room to examine him and Liam stood with his arm around his mom as they both waited anxiously for some sort of diagnosis.

They didn't have to wait long and after some cursory poking around and a check of Neal's vital signs, which the nurse had made note of on his chart, Dr. Mercer was ready to formulate a verdict.

'Neal's got bacterial pneumonia' he declared solemnly

'Pneumonia? How?' Sara blurted out

'He's very vulnerable to infection right now. If he lets himself get run down, all it takes is a casual contact with some virus or bacteria and... Bob's your uncle' said the good doctor

'Has he been in contact with anyone who's been sick?' he asked

Sara thought back to everyone who'd been at the party on Saturday night, a mere 48 hours before.

'We were at a party and there were a lot of people there but that was just two days ago' she said

'That's all it takes' responded Dr. Mercer as Neal lay there sleeping, aided by the medication which was being administered intravenously 'His body is a walking invitation for a multitude of infections, both viral and bacterial. He needs to rebuild his immune system and that can take time'

'But would he have symptoms so soon?' Sara asked

'In the case of bacterial pneumonia, the incubation period can be as short as one to three days' he said as he looked from Sara to Liam

Seeing the worry in their eyes, he continued 'Look, except for this little hiccup, Neal is healing well and he's an otherwise strong, healthy man. With an aggressive course of antibiotics, chances are we'll have him back on his feet in a few days'

Sara wanted to believe him but seeing Neal in this state after watching him thrive just two days earlier was unnerving and she began to wonder if a full recovery wasn't just some sort of a pipe dream.

'I'd like to admit him for a day or two and see how he responds to the medication and if all goes well, he can go home in a couple of days _if _he promises to lay low and give his body a chance to rebound from this latest little... setback' Dr. Mercer said

'Okay' Sara said, nodding in understanding

She could do this... compared to what they'd been through, this was just a small bump in the road to Neal's recovery and she needed to stay positive so that he wouldn't get discouraged. She watched as Dr. Mercer retreated; she picked up the cool cloth left behind by one of the nurses and, reaching down, she lovingly wiped Neal's brow.

TBC


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter 56**

Tuesday was a total blur for Neal as he floated in and out of a drugged sleep, vaguely aware of friends and family members drifting in and out of his field of vision. He remembered feeling Sara wiping his brow, the nurses coming in and out and adjusting his IV, Hope reading to him and Peter, looking rather worried as he sat by his bedside, holding his hand. By Wednesday morning, he was more alert and he woke to find Sara sleeping by his side in a nearby chair, her mouth open as she drooled ever so slightly. He was unable to stifle the soft chuckle that escaped his lips at the sight of his beautiful wife in such an unguarded moment. The gentle sound woke Sara and she opened her eyes to see his smiling face, a welcome sight after the last couple of days of sitting around, worrying about him.

'You're awake!' she exclaimed as she stood to make her way closer to the bed

Neal smiled back at her, noticing those worry lines on her forehead and he gently lifted his hand to smooth them over.

'Hey' he responded, his voice rough

He desperately wished he had a toothbrush and he could feel his skin moist and clammy; more than anything, he wanted to jump in the shower to wash off the remnants of whatever was ailing him.

'What happened?' he asked, still somewhat groggy

'You got bacterial pneumonia' Sara declared, sounding much like a doctor herself, a sure sign that they'd been spending way too much time in hospital recently

'Where the hell did I get _that_?' he asked puzzled as he began to cough uncontrollably

'Apparently, Ginny had a minor chest infection when we saw them on Saturday and she somehow passed it on to you' answered Sara

'Is she okay?' he asked, suddenly concerned for the little girl

Leave it to Neal to be more worried about others than himself even as he lay in hospital, fighting for his every breath.

'She's fine. It's not serious at all – she's barely coughing – but your body reacted severely to the bacteria and _you_ weren't able to handle it quite as well as she did' Sara explained as she ran her hand lovingly through Neal's hair, not caring in the least about his unkempt look

Neal thought back to that night as Ginny curled up by his side and how she'd given him a nice sloppy kiss before leaving, something he'd appreciated at the time. In retrospect, it seemed she'd been sharing more than her unbridled affection for her uncle.

'When can I come home?' Neal asked, suddenly remembering just how much he hated being in hospital

'Take it easy, Neal! You've got to give yourself time to get your strength back' she admonished, always the voice of reason

'Can't I do that at home?' he asked, his eyes pleading like a little boy

Sara smiled obligingly; she wanted him home just as much as he did but she was not about to take any more chances with what was turning out to be a very shaky recovery.

The door to the hospital room opened and in walked Dr. Miller looking bright and chipper. Neal put on his best smile, hoping he could somehow convince her he was feeling well enough to leave the hospital but over the past few weeks, she had gotten to know her handsome patient and she could see right through the Caffrey charm.

'Neal! Fancy meeting you here' she said in jest

'So, what's the deal? Did you think you were somehow _immune_ to all this stuff?' she asked as she read his vitals on the nearby chart

Neal just gave her his best shoulder shrug/demure (but adorable) smile combo and waited for it to work its usual magic.

'What do you think I am? Some lovelorn fifteen-year-old?' she asked, laughing 'That look might work on your wife but I'm immune to your charms, mister'

Neal's smile melted as fast as it had appeared; apparently, it had lost some of its effectiveness over time – or maybe it was just the sorry state of him as he lay there, unkempt and covered in sweat.

'The _good _news is that you are responding amazingly well to the antibiotics we've got you on' said Dr. Miller as Sara let out a sigh of relief

'The bad news is' she continued '...that _this _is your life now, Neal. You have to become more aware of every possible contact that could lead to an infection. That little girl...' she began before Neal interrupted

'Ginny' he corrected - after all, she had a name; she wasn't just some random little girl

'Ginny... she was barely affected by this upper respiratory infection but when the bacteria entered your body, you weren't able to fight it and within 48 hours it had totally taken over everything. It's a good thing Sara brought you in when she did, the earlier we fight back with this kind of thing, the better' she said

'So how do I... go about living my life?' Neal asked, suddenly worried

Up until this point, Dr. Miller's warnings had been just words but all of a sudden, they'd become all too real and the last thing Neal wanted was to live his life having to avoid being with the people he loved.

'You just have to be more careful. Keep taking your low dose of antibiotics and be on the lookout for anyone in your surroundings who might have symptoms of the flu or some other type of infection. It isn't always possible but if you know for a fact someone near you is sick, you have to avoid direct contact, you know, wash your hands more often... the usual' she said

'But after the operation, you said I had a 'secondary spleen'?' he said

'You do – and it might afford you some protection over time but there are no guarantees of that' she answered as she prepared to take her leave

'In the meantime, you have to pace yourself, Neal' she said as she looked over at Sara for emphasis

She was getting to know the couple and she found them charming and endearing; it was obvious, however, that Neal was a very impulsive person and that his wife was the voice of reason in their household, the one who kept him from doing things without carefully considering their consequences.

Neal nodded as he listened to the good doctor. For better or for worse, his current predicament was a direct consequence of having lost his spleen to that gunshot wound and he had no regrets; it meant that he'd managed to keep Hope safe and in the end, it was well worth it.

WCWCWC

Neal was released from hospital on Thursday morning and under Sara's watchful eye, he resumed some of his previous activities. He continued his therapy sessions with Clive, feeling stronger every day and navigating the stairs more confidently as time passed. His residual cough finally abated after about a week of rest – a week during which he had practically driven Sara crazy and the following Monday, he went back to work having recovered sufficiently to return at least part-time to his beloved gallery.

Cindy had agreed to work with Neal as the Director of the June Ellington School of Art's Foundation and Neal was thrilled to have her on board. He knew she had what it took to lobby for donations and within the first two weeks, she'd already gotten a firm commitment from one of the larger galleries to fund one of their weekly classes for the coming year. Hope, Neal and Cindy continued scouting locations for the school but Neal had a very specific vision in mind and so far, he had yet to find that diamond in the rough he hoped to transform into a monument to June's memory.

Whenever he had to walk for any length of time, Neal had begun using a cane which gave him just the right level of confidence to safely move around while he carried out his activities. The stairs became easier to navigate and Neal resumed painting in his studio in the basement, often going down there with Hope at his side.

That was where, on a Sunday, ten days after his release from hospital, Neal put the finishing touches on his rendition of June's beautiful face on canvas.

'Dad, _that _is gorgeous!' Hope exclaimed as she looked up from her current work in progress

'Thanks' he answered modestly

He was pleased with how it had turned out and he looked forward to hanging it in the front hall of the June Ellington School of Art, complete with a written text, a loving tribute to the woman who had inspired the project.

'So, I've been thinking about that place over on Abbott...' Hope said, referring to one of the locations they'd recently visited

Neal interrupted '_Not_ gonna be that place on Abbott' his voice sang

'Why not?' she asked

The place had many of the features they'd been looking for and she had really liked the neighborhood, figuring they could really make this place into an amazing school.

'Because we need a large lobby' Neal answered cryptically

Hope dropped what she was doing and walked over to where Neal sat, perched on a stool in front of June's loving face.

'Okay, Dad, spill' she said, an edge of irritation to her voice 'You've said that a few times lately and you still haven't told me _why_ we need a large lobby'

As she got closer to Neal's work area, she noticed a number of familiar photographs strewn across his worktable – all photographs of the mural at her grandma June's house – different sizes taken from a variety of angles, some with more detail than others. Neal saw her glancing at the pictures and figured it was time to come clean.

'Because, sweet pea...' he said slowly 'you and I are going to recreate a _version_ of the mural from your old room at Grandma June's house in the lobby of the new school' he said, finally revealing the plan he'd been hatching for the past few weeks

Hope was taken aback and her mouth dropped open as she stared back at the 'pleased with himself' look on Neal's face – a look she'd seen many times over the years, his 'go to' look whenever he thought he'd had an amazing idea or had managed to successfully keep a secret from someone.

'What?' was all Hope could think to say

'The mansion is on the market now and short of ripping the thing off the wall which I can't see happening, we're going to lose that beautiful piece of art. Your grandma promised me that as long as she lived, the mural would remain but... well, I figure you and I could collaborate and bring it to life in our own unique way so that _everyone_ can admire it' he explained

Hope let out a long slow breath as she took in what her dad was saying. She loved that mural and she visited it every time she went to the house on Riverside Drive. The photograph her mom had taken of the mural still hung in her room and almost twenty years later, it remained one of her most prized possessions.

'You would _trust_ me to work on that with you?' she asked, her voice emotional

'Trust you? Honey, what are you talking about? I would be _honored _to have you work on this with me. After all, you were my inspiration for that mural in the first place and for you and I to get the chance to collaborate on something of this magnitude, well it would be...' Neal's voice trailed, as he searched for the right word to describe what this meant to him

Hope's arms were instantly around Neal's neck, practically knocking him off his stool and he steadied himself, his daughter hugging him warmly.

'But' Neal said as he pulled away looking into his daughter eyes '...there's one condition. This is a _collaborative_ effort and we both need to be involved in creating it. The mural is our inspiration but I don't want to duplicate it'

Hope's eyes were shining brightly and he searched for a response to his proposal as she continued to stare ahead, speechless.

'So, is that a yes?' he asked jokingly

She looked into his eyes, seeing the excitement and pride there - second only to the exhilaration she herself was feeling at the prospect of working with her dad on this amazing project.

'Yes Dad, it is most definitely a yes!' she responded, beaming

TBC


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter 57**

It took three more weeks and countless showings but the day they walked into the old abandoned church on Prentiss Street in the Bronx, Neal and Hope knew they'd finally found a home worthy of their wonderful project. The price was right and although extensive renovations would be required to bring the building up to their standards, the rectory was large and it was attached to the church giving them a lot of space to work with. Eventually, the old rectory would house the offices, the church proper would be parcelled out into smaller classrooms and there were plans for a large showroom to display their future students' works of art.

The outside of the building had a majestic feel to it and, in some strange way, it reminded Neal of the house on Riverside Drive. But most importantly, the building had a large lobby which would easily house a reception area complete with, as a backdrop, an updated version of the beautiful mural Neal had lovingly painted twenty years before.

Hope and Neal had been debating the best course of action for the past few weeks, deciding how they would work together on the piece; although Hope had wanted to replicate it as it was, Neal had been unwavering in that regard, insistent that this was a collaborative work and that she needed to add her own perspective on the treasured mural. Long after he stopped walking this earth, the mural would stand as a monument to their collaboration and Neal wanted Hope to take pride in having contributed to creating the piece, the same pride _he'd _felt all those years ago.

So, on a warm Saturday morning in late August, with Neal behind the wheel, father and daughter headed out together to begin their new adventure. Neal had been given the green light to start driving again, another important milestone on his road to recovery and he was enjoying the freedom associated with picking up the keys and taking off, without having to count on Sara or Peter to act as chauffeurs.

The excitement and trepidation was palpable as the two of them sat in companionable silence, side by side, each getting into the 'zone'. Their creative processes was eerily similar; they both needed to get into their bubble before they started on a new project and Neal glanced over to see Hope, lost in thought as she sat next to him in the car.

'You alright?' he asked, sensing her apprehension

She smiled that nervous smile he readily recognized from years of familiarity.

'I... just don't want to... mess it up' she admitted reluctantly

'Honey, we've been over this. There is _no_ possible way you could mess this up. Why are you having doubts all of a sudden?' he asked lovingly as they finally arrived at their destination.

Neal stopped the car directly in front of the stately building and turned to face his daughter. He had been the head of Hope's cheering section from the time she was a toddler, encouraging her to believe in herself as she discovered the world through art. From day one, he had resolved to be supportive of her efforts in ways the little boy in him would have loved to be supported; perhaps if someone had believed in _him_ back then, he wouldn't have felt compelled to resort to forgery and instead he could have put all that energy into expressing himself using his amazing talents. He was adamant that his children would not suffer the same fate; that being said, Neal could always be counted on to be brutally honest when it came to critiquing Hope's work and she knew without the shadow of a doubt that his comments always came from a place of love and a sincere desire to foster her amazing talent.

Hope shrugged; although her dad had always encouraged her to be fearless and to take chances with new styles and techniques this... this was somehow different. She had a boundless and somewhat childlike admiration for her dad's talent as an artist and what he was asking her to do was akin to suggesting she reproduce a Monet and make any changes she deemed appropriate - something she felt was somehow sacrilegious.

'Dad, the mural is already perfect as it is' she began

'It _was_ perfect, Hope – and it reflects how I was feeling back when I painted it. You know, Mom and I were so excited about you coming into the world' Neal said wistfully as he looked into her bright blue eyes 'But that was twenty years ago and here you are, all grown up and now... I have as much to learn from you as you have to learn from me. Honey, I've taught you everything I know - it's time for you to fly with your own wings'

He stopped to see if his words were getting through to her before continuing.

'I know this is going to be amazing, Hope, because we're doing it together' he said, taking her hand in his 'Do you know how happy I am to be working with you on this? You're an artist, Hope Ellis Caffrey, a very _talented_ artist and the world is your oyster'

Hope reached over to hug her dad, suddenly feeling a surge of confidence; he was right, together, they could accomplish anything.

WCWCWC

Standing in front of a blank canvas was like sitting in front of a blank page; it was totally unnerving and overwhelming and both Neal and Hope had experienced that all consuming apprehension countless times before. In that moment, everything was possible and the artist's trepidation and fear as to whether or not he was up the task was both thrilling and terrifying in equal measures.

Hope and Neal settled in to begin working. The wall had been prepped the week before and through lengthy negotiation, the artists had agreed on how they were going to tackle this huge project. The original mural had taken five months to complete. Of course, back then, Neal had been working full-time for the FBI and would sneak in at night after an exhausted and very pregnant Sara had turned in for the night, stealing moments here and there to create the treasured mural.

This time around, they'd discussed at length the elements that they would like to maintain and those that could be re-jigged. Hope loved the focal point of the mural, a 'trompe l'oeil' depicting a door which opened on to a magical world. They agreed that it would be recreated much as it had been painted originally; the periphery of the mural, however, would become Hope's domain and so far, Neal had loved the ideas she'd pitched.

Neal watched as his daughter sat at a makeshift worktable nearby, sketching madly as he began to delineate the first broad strokes of the outline of the trompe l'oeil directly onto the wall. He was able to stand for longer periods of time now, although he still got tired after a while and he had a nasty limp when he overdid things - which he was prone to do on a regular basis.

Sunlight came shining through the beautiful stained glass window over the large wooden door as Neal observed his daughter, deep in thought. He was thrilled to have her by his side; fall semester was starting in two weeks and he shook off the realization that instead of being with him, collaborating on this wonderful shared venture, Hope might have been packing to leave for school if he hadn't agreed to let her stay behind for another few months.

Life had a strange way of working out for the best and he reflected again on how fate had intervened in his life, from his chance meeting with June in that thrift shop, to Sara's presence at his trial, to Peter arresting him all those years ago. For years, he'd conspired to orchestrate things, to manipulate people's reactions and actions, to control any and all outcomes; it had taken him a lifetime to realize that the best things in his life had come to him when he'd stopped plotting and conning and just let them happen naturally.

'Hi' Neal heard from somewhere behind him as he stood, focussed on the task at hand

He'd spent the morning concentrating on a small area of the wall and he and Hope had been working in virtual silence; he turned towards the familiar voice, startled.

'Sara!' he said, pleased to see his wife standing there holding a picnic basket

'I figured you two wouldn't even bother to stop and eat if I didn't bring something by' she said as she glanced over at their daughter nearby

The place had really changed since she'd been there a few weeks before and the renovations to this particular section of the building were now complete, allowing them to get started on their mammoth project.

'Wow, this is amazing' she said as she took in the stately ceiling, the beautiful stained glass window, the sound of her voice resonated in the open space

Neal limped over to where she stood and gave her a grateful hug. He was starved and he was just now realizing it.

'Have you been on your feet all morning?' she asked, frowning

'Not... all morning' Neal fibbed as Hope gave him a conspiratorial glance

'Well, sit ... and eat' she ordered, her face serious

'Yes ma'am' Neal answered with a Texan twang

She gave him the evil eye – if there was one thing Sara Ellis hated, it was being referred to as 'ma'am' and Neal loved to tease her about it every chance he got.

Hope glanced over at her mom and dad, noting the excitement dancing in their eyes. Neal had been spending every waking hour working at the gallery or planning for the new school and she was painfully aware that the two of them hadn't had much quality time together as of late. Hope knew that her grandmother had left her dad an inheritance with no strings attached and she was aware that her parents could have chosen to use it on any number of self-indulgent pursuits; the fact that this was how they'd decided to use her precious gift made her love them all the more.

'I think I'll get some air and go for a little walk' Hope said, wanting to give them a bit of time alone

'Okay, honey. We'll save you some lunch' Sara said, her eyes not leaving Neal's smiling face

Sara laid out the blanket she'd brought for the makeshift picnic and pulled Neal down alongside her, urging him to take a load off his feet. She began to unload the contents of the picnic basket she'd brought as Neal peeked over her shoulder.

'Wow!' Neal exclaimed as he looked into the basket 'Homemade chicken!'

Sara slapped his arm playfully. 'You know damn well it's not homemade if _you _didn't make it' she laughed 'but it _is_ from Seventh Avenue Deli'

'Mmmmm' Neal said as he kissed her and she wasn't sure if he was referring to the chicken or the taste of her lips

Sara smiled as he hummed. He looked younger, more alive these past few weeks and she was encouraged by the progress he'd been making despite the long hours he'd been putting in.

'Neal, this place is beautiful; June would have absolutely loved it' she said as she took in her surroundings

He grinned, happier than he'd been in months. He was getting his strength back and he was finally able to get a start on the project which, up until now, had been nothing more than a pipe dream. He continued to gaze at his wife; she'd been there every step of the way, encouraging him, giving him free reign on the venture and supporting his every decision.

'Thank you' Neal said simply, his eyes still glued to hers

'For the chicken? Really Neal, it was no big deal, I just ran in and...' she began, knowing full well he was talking about something else altogether

'Shut up, Repo' he said, kissing her once again, this time a little more insistently

'I could have never gotten through the last few months without you' he said softly

'Shucks!' she said, sardonically

'Stop it! I'm serious' he said in mock annoyance

'Neal, we're a team. What happens to you, happens to me' she said, getting a little emotional

He let out a long slow breath as he realized once again the depth of her love and commitment.

'How did I _ever_ get so lucky?' he asked simply

'Caffrey' she said, keeping things light 'You were _born _lucky'

TBC


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter 58**

Summer turned to fall in Westchester County – and everywhere else on the western hemisphere.

Liam Caffrey entered high school at long last and tried out for the junior basketball team. He was snatched up in the first round of tryouts and began what everyone said would be an illustrious year as their star rookie.

Hope Caffrey worked harder than she ever would have as a freshman at Carnegie Mellon. She put in 40 hour weeks at the Raphael Gallery and evenings and weekends at the June Ellington School of Art, helping with curriculum development, student recruitment and fun jobs like scrubbing toilets and painting walls. She'd never been happier.

Sara Ellis returned to work full time and fulfilled the commitment she'd made to her colleagues in Boston and Dallas, visiting each city for a couple of days to talk about her mentoring program; others were lining up to ask for the same.

Neal Caffrey gradually began to recover his trademark swagger and by late fall, he was back to jogging a couple of mornings a week in their quiet suburban neighborhood. He managed to recover from a nasty ear infection which lingered for a couple of weeks and a thankfully short bout with the flu which he was pretty sure he's contracted while rocking a feverish Beatrice Jordan to sleep, against everyone's advice. It had been worth it.

He visited the Raphael Gallery daily, although he only stayed for an hour or so; he'd 'promoted' Cam to the position of manager and the young man was working full time, now that he'd graduated from his program at NYU. He happily worked alongside Hope and Peter Burke, who continued to manage the financial and administrative side of the business.

The rest of the time, Neal spent at the school, or thinking about the school, or planning curriculum for the school, or meeting with local principals to promote the school, or meeting with prospective teachers for the school... His passion knew no bounds and with it, came the endless energy required to get things done.

A date was finally set for the official opening of the June Ellington School of Art: November 29th, almost two years after the Raphael Gallery opened its doors on the west side of Manhattan. Although the gallery had been the long awaited 'child' Sara and Neal had long dreamt of and prayed for, the School of Art had been that surprise 'late in life' baby which had arrived when they had least expected it - and it was just as cherished as their beloved gallery.

Cindy Harrington left her job as curator of the Devonshire Gallery and began to work full-time alongside Neal, doing any odd job that needed doing to get the school ready for its big opening. She'd been relentless in her search for benefactors, managing to find funding for everything from equipment and supplies to classes for children with special needs.

June's inheritance had been enough to cover the cost of purchasing the building, the extensive renovations and all the basic purchases to get them started. There was still plenty left in their coffers to keep the school afloat if they were thrifty and if the Foundation continued to deliver on generous donations to help funds its programs. The cost of operating such an institution was not negligible and Neal had known from day one that they required ongoing funding from committed patrons in order to remain viable in the long term.

The city had seen fit to invest some seed funding; this project fit in perfectly with its neighborhood revitalization plan as well as its social policy program which focussed on keeping kids off the street and away from gang involvement and petty crime.

All in all, things were going great and Neal was thrilled to have the chance to give back to the community in recognition for everything June had given him over the years. Although he would never forget the rough start he'd had in life, he refused to dwell on all the disappointments and hardships he'd encountered in his youth - his life nowadays was filled with nothing but good things and he considered himself a very lucky man.

He stood in the busy airport on this chilly late-November afternoon, travellers buzzing around him as he waited for his wife to make an appearance in the arrival lounge. She'd been away for three nights, flogging her mentoring program in Denver, of all places. Insurance companies from all over the country had been showing an interest in the program, wanting to know how she'd set it up, how she went about selecting the participants and the impact it was having on Sterling Bosch's bottom line.

Neal watched as the crowd of commuters rushed around him, anxious to finally have his wife in his arms; he was miserable whenever she was away, as if a piece of him was missing and although he was proud of all her accomplishments, he missed not having her by his side every morning when he got up to face the day and every night when he finally went to bed.

He caught a glimpse of the reddish head of hair in the sea of travellers and lifted his arm so she could find him in the crowd. The smile that appeared on her face, even from a distance, confirmed that she had spotted him and within seconds, she stood before him looking tired yet happy to finally be home.

'Sorry' she said as she dropped her bag to lace her arms around his neck 'our flight was delayed'

Neal held her tight, taking in her wonderful, comforting scent and the familiar sensation of her body against his.

'I'm just glad you're home' he murmured into her ear and all of a sudden, all the noise and buzz of the busy airport faded in the background as she heard him whisper 'I missed you, Repo'

She pulled away to give him a glorious, albeit exhausted, smile.

'So, how's everything at home?' she asked as he grabbed her carry on bag with one hand and took her hand with the other

'Good. The usual craziness' he said as they slowly made their way to the baggage claim area along with what looked like half the population of the greater New York area

Sara was back and now, Neal felt complete.

WCWCWC

Mozzie was waiting when they arrived home, looking like quite the little housewife as he and the kids worked together to get dinner on the table. He'd learned long ago that he needed to pull his weight in the Caffrey household; he'd graduated from being a guest to becoming a member of the family a long time ago and that meant pitching in with meals and clean-up if he was going to hang around and expect to be fed on a regular basis.

'We're home' Neal called from the front door as they walked into the warm and inviting house on Meadowbrook Street

'Mom!' Liam exclaimed as he ran out from the kitchen to welcome her with a hug

'Hey sweetie' she responded 'How are you doing? Dad tells me you had a great first game'

He shrugged a self-deprecatory shrug and Sara instantly recognized a younger Neal in his demeanour.

'It was okay' he said, bashfully

'Okay?' Neal chimed in as he placed Sara's bags down by the staircase 'He was the star of the game. Sixteen baskets!'

Sara raised her eyebrows in surprise – that sounded like a lot but... what did she know.

'Mom?' Hope called from upstairs as she spotted her parents at the bottom of the stairs 'You're home!'

Within seconds she was running down the staircase and hugging her mom as the guys joined Mozzie in the kitchen. The two women followed, arms around each other as they chatted quietly.

'So, how are things?' Sara asked softly

Hope and Cam had hit a bit of a rough patch in their relationship just before Sara left on her trip and she was most anxious to know if her daughter was alright.

'Okay' Hope answered quietly 'We're talking things through'

Sara momentarily dropped the subject, realizing this wasn't the right time for an in depth discussion on the matter and she gave Hope a squeeze as they arrived in the kitchen to find Mozzie looking a bit frazzled.

'Neal, next time, more detailed instructions would be appreciated' he griped as he placed the lasagna on the table

'Moz, which part of '_Open_ _the freezer, grab the lasagna and stick it in at 350_' did you not understand?' Neal asked wryly

'Umm, there was also a _salad_ to make' Mozzie answered in a flustered tone of voice

Neal scoffed in response; sometimes Mozzie was more of a high maintenance girlfriend than a best buddy.

Dinner was a noisy affair as everyone caught up on each others' news from the past few days and as soon as they were done eating, Sara excused herself to go upstairs to unpack and get ready for an early night. She was feeling the fatigue from travelling and living out of a suitcase and she was looking forward to falling asleep in her own bed.

The kids dispersed - as they tended to do right before it was time to clean up - and Neal and Mozzie found themselves sitting alone over a cup of decaf as the leftovers from the meal lay scattered around them on the kitchen table.

'So, are you nervous?' Mozzie asked

'Nervous? No' Neal said dismissively; the great Neal Caffrey didn't _do_ nervous 'A little anxious, maybe'

'Knowing you, I'm sure you haven't left anything to chance' Mozzie said as he took a sip of coffee

'Well, El's doing the food, Cindy's in charge of the guest list, the place is shining like a new penny... I'm just really excited' Neal said 'So, are you going to come?'

Mozzie's presence at any shindig of a conventional nature was always a hit and miss proposition. He was still anything _but _the social butterfly Neal had always been and he usually shunned any event where he had to act 'normal', something Mozzie didn't do very well. But he'd learned over time that, although Neal never put any pressure on him to be other than who he was, his old friend appreciated having him by his side on those all-important occasions.

'I don't know...' Mozzie answered non-committal, letting his voice trail

He noticed Neal's barely disguised look of disappointment.

'Oh, alright' he grumbled, noticing a smile appearing on Neal's face 'What time does it start?'

'Five' he answered 'Oh, and El's making those little quiches you like'

'No dairy?' Mozzie asked

'Of course!' Neal countered

'Then, I'll _definitely _be there' he added with a satisfied grin

WCWCWC

'What a crazy year it's been, huh?' Sara said as she lay in bed with Neal curled up against her

'Yeah' he responded with a sigh 'If you'd told me six months ago that I would be running an art school as well as the gallery, I would never have believed you. This wasn't even on the radar six months ago and now, it feels like the most natural thing in the world'

'Neal, you're a born teacher and you _love_ people. This lets you do it all' Sara said as she ran her hand through his hair, feeling the comfortable weight of his head on her chest

'Well, I'd give it all up if I could have June back' he said longingly

'I know, honey, but she's watching...and she's smiling. She would have been so proud to have her name, and her fortune, associated with this school' Sara said as she lay in the comfort of her own bed

'Did I tell you that Cindy got the local alderman to come and cut the ribbon? That means it'll be on the news and that'll really help with publicity' Neal said, his hand trailing up and down Sara's arm

'That's great. So, how can I help?' Sara asked

'You're doing it right now' Neal said softly as he pulled her in a little tighter

She laughed softly; she felt the same - just by being there, Neal always made everything right.

'Is Hope alright?' she asked

'What do you mean?' Neal responded, except for being extremely busy he hadn't noticed anything unusual about their daughter's behavior

'She and Cam – they're going through a rough time' Sara confided

Neal lifted his head to look at his wife 'Really? She didn't say'

'The apple didn't fall far from the tree, Caffrey. Hope doesn't share her personal stuff very easily' Sara answered

Neal shook off the brief annoyance he felt at not being in the loop; Hope shared almost everything with him but in matters of the heart, she always tended to confide in her mom.

'They're wondering if they should break up before she goes away to school. Neither one of them wants the other pining away while they're miles apart' Sara explained

Neal put his head back down on Sara's stomach, arms around her hips as he listened. His original concerns about Hope dating a guy three years her senior had disappeared over time as he'd watched the couple go from casual acquaintances to committed couple. He'd even allowed himself to think of Cam as son-in-law material.

'That's really too bad' he whispered in the dark, ever the romantic

'Well, don't get involved, honey' Sara warned 'It's their life, all we can do is be there for Hope if she needs us'

Silence followed as they both began to slowly drift to sleep. Neal heard Sara's breathing slow down and become more regular; after a while, he followed, visions of the June Ellington School of Art dancing in his head.

WCWCWC

The morning of November 29th dawned cold and clear. Neal was up at the crack of dawn, his mind reeling at the multitude of details left to tend to as he sat alone in the kitchen going over lists and sipping on lukewarm coffee.

It was finally D-day and he couldn't have been more excited.

TBC


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter 59**

'Neal, there's someone over here I'd like you to meet' Cindy said as she gently took his elbow and led him away from the small group he'd been chatting with.

She'd been doing her PR thing all evening, making sure Neal met all the funders who were more than happy to be seen in public, hobnobbing with city staff and politicians and getting some recognition for their good deed on such an auspicious occasion. Neal winked at Sara as he left her side for the fourth time in the past hour. She watched as he walked away, noting how solid and determined his gait was; it was hard to believe that just a few months ago, his mode of transportation had been a wheelchair.

'Crazy, huh?' Sara heard as she turned to face Peter and Elizabeth standing there

'I can't believe the circus this has turned into' she responded

Unlike the opening of the Raphael which had been an understated affair, this 'grand' opening had become a _massive_ community event. Although every phase of the planning and execution had been sanctioned by Neal and Cindy, compromises had been made along the way and the whole affair had turned into much more than they'd bargained for. Benefactors didn't always donate for purely altruistic reasons; some of them milked their largesse for all it was worth and enjoyed the limelight and the star status they got for their generous 'act of kindness'. Neal didn't have much patience for that kind of thing but he knew, better than anyone, the importance of not biting the hand that feeds you and he congratulated himself once more for bringing Cindy in to deal with that unseemly part of the equation. She was skilled at making each of the funders feel like they were the centre of the universe and letting them believe the school would not have seen the light of day without their generous contribution.

Because the city was donating funding, they wanted their fair share of the limelight and the arrival of the local alderman, accompanied by photographers and reporters, had created quite a stir. The short, stocky bald man beamed as he held court, finishing up an interview with a local television personality as Cindy gently coaxed Neal towards the obviously ostentatious man.

'Neal' she said, her arm laced in his 'this is Paul Knowles, our local alderman'

'Mr. Knowles, it's so nice to finally meet you' Neal said as he plastered on his patented Caffrey smile

'Mr. Caffrey, congratulations on this wonderful project. The school will be a great addition to our community' he answered as he shook Neal's hand and smiled an overly 'toothy' smile

As far as phoney smiles went, Neal had an excellent radar and it was buzzing off the charts at the moment.

'Well, it's a labor of love' Neal said, sincerely

'Ms Harrington was telling me about her grandmother' said the politically correct man as he stood next to the portrait of June, displayed proudly in the large lobby 'It sounds like she was an amazing woman'

'You have no idea' Neal responded as he looked proudly at June's portrait

'Mr. Knowles, will you excuse us for a moment, there's someone I need to introduce Mr. Caffrey to' Cindy said, spotting another one of the funders nearby

'Enjoy the opening' Neal said before he was dragged away one more time

WCWCWC

'Daddy, when does the class start?' Michael Jones asked his dad

'The class isn't today, buddy. We're just _visiting_ the school' Clinton answered as he held his son's hand and ushered him through the crowd with Jonathan and Ivy right behind them

'But Uncle Neal said I could come and paint' the child whined

'You will, but not until Saturday' answered his dad with an edge of impatience to his voice

Fighting off a crowd with a whiny kid in tow was not his idea of a fun night out and despite Neal's assurances that the opening would be a 'kid friendly' event, he wondered if they'd made a mistake bringing their offspring along with them.

'Hi Michael! Hey Jonathan!' they heard from behind them as Hope came into their field of vision

Michael looked up, his face clearly disappointed, as Hope glanced questioningly at Clinton.

'There was a bit of a misunderstanding' Jones said 'Michael didn't realize we were just visiting today and that the classes didn't start until Saturday'

Hope crouched down to face the little man whose brother had joined him.

'Would you like to do some painting _today_?' she asked, her eyes bright

The boys nodded enthusiastically as a sudden smile appeared on both their faces.

'Well, I have something set up in one of the classrooms. Would you like to come with me?' she asked as Clinton looked on, relieved to have dodged the bullet on 'pouty' Michael

'But you'll have to wear an apron so you don't get your beautiful outfits dirty, is that okay?' she continued as she took both boys by the hand and led them away

Clinton looked over at his wife and gave her a relieved smile.

'Champagne sir?' asked one of the servers as he put the tray out for them to serve themselves

This 'official opening' stuff wasn't so bad after all, Clinton thought, as he reached out to grab a flute.

WCWCWC

'Elizabeth, you've outdone yourself' Sara said as she tasted one of El's signature hors d'oeuvres

'I agree, Mrs. Suit' Mozzie chimed in as he grabbed for another one of his favorite quiches, his sixth one - not that anyone was counting

'Glad you like it' answered Elizabeth, obviously in her element

Now that she had seen to the planning and preparation, she could leave the execution to her staff and finally relax as an invited guest – unless, of course, she spotted one of the staff doing something she didn't entirely approve of. That was her cue to turn into 'gestapo Elizabeth', snarky comments and all.

'This is nothing like the gallery opening' said Sara to Peter

'You're not kidding. This is like a who's who of local politicians and philanthropists' Peter answered as he looked around at the hundred or so guests milling around

Elizabeth looked over at her husband, surprised but mostly impressed by his extensive vocabulary.

'Yeah, everyone wants a piece of this' Mozzie agreed 'It's the charity 'du jour'

'Well, Neal says that if _this _is what it takes to bring art to the masses, he's ready to compromise' answered Sara as she spotted her husband nearby, hobnobbing with some very snotty looking older woman as Cindy smiled a benevolent smile

'So classes start this week?' Peter asked

He hadn't had a decent conversation with Neal in over a week and he was out of the loop on everything, including the time frame for the start of their long-awaited programs.

'Yeah, Neal's hired three teachers so far - including someone to work with a group of kids with special needs. The afterschool programs start next Monday and there are five art appreciation classes on the weekend for people of all ages' Sara explained with pride as the crowd chattered around them

'Hey!' said Diana, joining the group 'How's it going?'

'Diana!' Peter exclaimed as he gave his ex-underling a hug 'Where are the girls?'

'Christie's taken them over to the workshop area so they can play with the other kids' Diana explained

'Wow!' she exclaimed as she looked around the cavernous lobby, taking in the beautiful mural and the memorial to June which was front and centre in a very special place of honor.

'I had no idea how beautiful this place was' she continued

'This is the June Ellington School of Art and it's being run by Neal Caffrey' said Sara in her best no-nonsense tone of voice 'Did you really expect anything other than understated elegance?'

Diana laughed in response. Sara was right; Neal never did things half-way and he was determined to honor June in the most fitting and elegant way possible. From all appearances, he had managed to do just that.

WCWCWC

'Mom! What...? When did _you_ get here?' Cindy squealed as she spotted Marion coming towards her

'I just landed an hour ago' the woman said as she hugged her daughter

'Why didn't you tell me you were coming?' Cindy asked as Neal came up behind them

'Ah, the surprise guest has arrived!' he said with a sneaky smile on his face

'Neal!' Marion said as she hugged him warmly

'You knew?' Cindy asked, her voice pure bliss with just a touch of annoyance

Neal gave her the Caffrey shrug; he loved to surprise those he loved and by all accounts, this had been a successful foray.

Marion laced her arms into both Neal's and Cindy's as she looked around, obviously in awe at her surroundings.

'Now, as someone who travelled across the ocean to be here, I expect the two of you to give me a personal tour of this amazing place' she said as Cindy continued to stare at her mom in disbelief

'I know exactly where to start...' Neal said as he pulled her towards the memorial to June

WCWCWC

Cameron Armstrong stood motionless, clad in a dress shirt and tie - a most uncharacteristic look for the laid-back young man - as he admired the mural before him. He had seen the original version at June's home on just one occasion and although he'd thought it beautiful at the time, this... this was over-the-top, breathtakingly gorgeous.

Hope appeared by his side, unbeknownst to her boyfriend, who continued to examine the many intricate features of the grand piece of art.

'You like it?' she asked, startling him

He let out a long slow breath; as a lover of art, he needed time - and lots of it - when he found himself in front of a masterpiece for the very first time.

'Like it? Hope, I had no idea how... incredible it would be' he said, his eyes remaining glued to the mural

'And the light... it's perfect for it' he continued as Hope smiled in agreement

The placement of the mural along the one and only continuous wall in the cavernous lobby allowed for it to be studied from many different angles. Up close, one could admire the many intricate details of the painting which, on their own, were beautiful to look at; taking a few steps back, one could see how the different components melted into each other seamlessly and if one stood all the way back towards the hallway leading to the many classrooms, the effect was totally different as everything coalesced into one cohesive image.

Cameron put his arm around Hope and drew her near as he continued to look up. Their time together would soon be coming to an end and he'd resolved to spend every minute he could with her before her inevitable departure, in just over a month.

He loved this young woman with all his heart and recently, he'd realized that he loved her enough to let her go.

WCWCWC

'Dad's going to start soon' Liam said to his extended family as he continued to move gracefully around the room, inviting everyone to gather around the front of the hall

Neal could be seen standing in front of a microphone on the podium, checking his pockets for what Sara guessed where his speaking notes – after all, she'd been the one to place them in his pocket for him. She smiled as she watched her son continue to work the crowd, inciting everyone to step forward. He had come such a long way in the past few months, morphing from 'little kid' to 'fine young man' right before her very eyes. Neal's unexpected trauma had been the catalyst for Liam to come into his own, taking on more responsibility, coming out of his shy introverted self and opening up to the world around him.

Neal's voice could be heard resonating through the sound system as he urged everyone to gather around. It was time for the official opening, complete with speeches and a ribbon cutting ceremony and everyone gathered around the immense lobby to hear Neal's remarks.

'I'd like to thank everyone for coming out today' Neal began as the crowd began to hush

TBC


	60. Chapter 60

**Chapter 60**

'We are thrilled to have all of you here with us today to share in the official opening of the June Ellington School of Art' Neal said as everyone quieted down to listen

'Everyone I talk to asks me the same question: who is June Ellington?' he said as he stared out into the crowd, his eyes searching for his loved ones, the ones who knew all too well who June Ellington was and what she stood for

His mission now was to help everyone else discover this wonderful woman and her legacy.

'Six months ago, I stood before a group of sad faces in a church in Manhattan as we said a final goodbye to this wonderful woman. June Ellington lived for 93 years and throughout her lifetime, she touched hundreds of lives with her kindness and her generosity. She was a classy lady, a strong, determined woman and above all a caring and generous soul who didn't think twice about helping a stranger off the street. At times, in that regard, she might have seemed naive but nothing could have been further from the truth. June was worldly and cultured and yet, she reached out to everyone - big and small, no matter their station in life. But most of all, June loved children and she adored her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and she loved to watch them grow and thrive as they discovered the world around them'

Neal could see the Ellington clan standing together, smiling brightly as he spoke, pride apparent on their faces.

'When it came to deciding the best way to honor her memory, it was obvious to those of us who knew and loved her that whatever we did, it had to be about children. June's other passion was for the arts; she was an admirer as well as a patron of many charities on the arts scene. It is a widely held belief that art in all its forms, helps children interpret the world and gives them an outlet to express their fears, their hopes and their dreams for the future. For many kids however, access to this wonderful world is limited by their social status, their financial situation and that is an unfortunate yet harsh reality – one that we hope to change. The June Ellington School of Art, with the help of its benefactors, will level the playing field and allow _all _children to discover the world - and themselves - through art. Speaking of which, some of the kids who are here today have been busy creating their own works of art while us grownups have been standing around sipping champagne and munching on hors d'oeuvres'

The crowd laughed at his comment as Neal turned towards the door leading to the classrooms.

'I'd like to invite them to come out and show us what they've been working on' he added

Hope appeared with a dozen or so children and she ushered them onto the small dais in front of Neal. They stood proudly as they displayed their treasures and the crowd hummed and clapped in appreciation as Neal stood behind them, beaming with pride. This is what it was all about and he suddenly looked forward to years of this – kids feeling a sense of pride and satisfaction at expressing themselves through this wonderful medium where there was no right or wrong, just an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.

The children took a bow and retreated to a kid friendly room for ice cream and cake and Neal continued with his remarks. Although, up until this point, he'd been speaking without referring to his notes, he now pulled out his reading glasses and glanced down at them as he prepared to read off the litany of donors to the school, names of people who, for their own personal reasons, had chosen to donate to this cause. He took his time with each name, asking donors to come forward as everyone applauded their generosity. Finally, he asked the local alderman to join him on stage as he thanked the city for its financial support in helping to fund their programs. The man, who obviously suffered from 'little man syndrome', teetered on the tip of his toes, chest puffed out as he and Neal stood together cutting the ceremonial ribbon to the sound of applause.

The ceremony finally over, Neal made his way back to his family; he wanted to enjoy the moment now that he'd carried out his official duties and he snuck up behind Sara, hugging her in his usual uninhibited fashion.

'Neal' she said as she hugged him back 'That was great!'

He grinned proudly in response. The pain and anguish of the last few months, starting with June's passing and his unfortunate accident seemed to fade now that the moment had finally arrived to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

'Did you see the cake?' he asked excitedly, the kid in him surfacing temporarily (or maybe not so temporarily)

'I did!' she responded

The humongous cake had been decorated with a photograph depicting the mural in fine detail and looked too incredible to cut into. The far wall, facing the huge wooden doors had been dubbed the 'wall of honor' and guests had been encouraged to leave a painted handprint or fingerprint along with a short message for the continued success of the school. The wall would remain a testament to this wonderful day for years to come.

The event, which was scheduled to run from 5 to 7, began to slowly wind down as people returned to their regular activities. Tours of the premises were happily conducted by some of the staff from the Raphael under the watchful eye of Cam and Hope, who had taken on the responsibility of coordinating the visits. Before long, Neal's nearest and dearest were the only ones remaining, basking in the afterglow, the culmination of months of hard work.

The group of thirty or so, including the Ellington family, made their way to a local restaurant to close out the momentous day as everyone chatted loudly, excitement from the special occasion still permeating the air.

Neal sat, taking in all the happy faces around him, unaware that he was sporting the biggest grin of all. His arm lay on the back of Sara's chair, his hand lingering absent-mindedly on her back and shoulder every once in a while. She glanced over at her husband, sensing his unbridled happiness at being surrounded by his family and friends. Despite the requisite speeches and formalities, he hoped he'd managed to convey to all in attendance the essence of his message: that June had left a legacy of love and that her gift had inspired the creation of the school bearing her name.

'Happy?' Sara asked as she placed a hand on his thigh

He looked over, grinning broadly.

'I think they need to invent a new word for how I'm feeling' he said

'June would be _so _proud' she said as she gave him a squeeze

His grin disappeared for a moment as sadness seemed to permeate his features.

'That's all I've ever wanted' he said, suddenly sounding like a little boy '... to make June proud'

'Everyone!' Peter suddenly shouted as he stood with a drink in his hand 'I'd like to propose a toast to Neal for the amazing work he's done and of course to June for being his inspiration'

Shouts of 'here, here' abounded as everyone lifted their glasses

Neal looked on genuinely embarrassed at the outpouring of recognition and affection. He'd only had one intention in using June's inheritance in this way and that was to let her generosity live on for years to come.

It was past ten o'clock by the time the group dispersed with hugs all around and promises to keep in touch.

The June Ellington School of Art was no longer just a dream – it was now a wonderful reality.

WCWCWC

'You okay?' Sara asked as she sat across from her husband at the breakfast table.

The excitement and exhilaration from the buildup of the past few weeks seemed to have morphed into some form of quiet introspection.

'Yeah, it's just... you know, a little bit of a letdown after all that intense preparation' he admitted as he stared into his coffee cup

He glanced down at the photograph taken the night before of the many guests standing in front of the mural with the name of the school boldly displayed across the top and the portrait of June off to the side. In the very front, stood the children with their treasured artwork, beaming for the camera. He had a very special place in mind for that photograph – well more than one, actually.

'Honey, I need to go out for a little while' he said cryptically

She looked into his eyes, surmising where he might be going and why.

'Would you like me to come along?' she asked, placing her hand over his

'Naw. I need to do this by myself' he said as he stood and placed a kiss on Sara's forehead 'Thanks, though'

'I'll be here when you get back' she said softly

That seemed to comfort Neal somehow and he walked away with a soft smile; knowing Sara would always be there when he came home was all he'd ever wanted.

She watched Neal walk away; he was about to close a chapter in his life and all she could do was be there when he returned, arms open to welcome him back.

WCWCWC

Neal dug deep into his pocket, producing a fifty dollar bill and handing it to the young lady behind the counter.

'Lilies are hard to find at this time of year' she commented as she lovingly wrapped the bouquet in colorful paper

Neal smiled in response; no other flower would do on his little mission. He thanked the young woman and returned to the car, turning up his coat collar against the cold late fall wind as he walked. November would be turning to December in just a couple of days and darks skies were threatening to release a few random snowflakes before the end of the day. He placed the large bouquet in the seat next to him and continued on his way.

The cemetery was located in an out of the way neighborhood on Staten Island and Neal drove the hour long journey in blissful quiet; his thoughts were on the night before, the excitement of seeing everything finally come together, the kids traipsing out onto the stage with their faces alight with pride as everyone applauded. That's what he would remember from that night in years to come and that was what he was most anxious to share with June.

He spotted Goethals Bridge in the distance and headed in that direction as a few wayward snowflakes drifted by, not so unexpectedly. The Ellington sisters and Neal had shopped around and finally chosen Ocean View Cemetery for its calm and picturesque surroundings; June deserved nothing less than to have a final resting place which reflected her serene, almost regal, personality.

The large gate beckoned and Neal drove through, admiring the peaceful gardens as he did on every one of his visits. He drove down the main road towards a more narrow grassy path and he parked the car on the now familiar side road as he began the slow walk up the middle of the corridor, gifts firmly in hand.

June's grave was about half way up the small path to his left and he began to search for it, in the distance, finally spotting it as he got nearer. He wasn't a big fan of visiting cemeteries and he wasn't a believer that spirits dwelled there; he preferred to think that June was present in all of them, her children, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren and now in the halls of the art school named in her honor. But on this day, Neal felt an overwhelming need to be there so he could leave his gifts by her graveside and share his thoughts with his beloved friend.

A smile danced on his lips as he got close enough to read the inscription on the tombstone: '_Here lies June Ellington, much loved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and dear friend to so many'_

He, Lorna and Marion had struggled with the inscription. How do you sum up ninety three years of such a full life in one sentence? And yet, the simple phrase seemed to say it all.

'Hi June' he said a little self-consciously as he glanced around to make certain he was alone

'I got you some lilies' he said as he placed them lovingly by the gravestone, removing the wilted bouquet he'd left there on his last visit 'I know how much you love them'

He stood, looking at the threatening skies; if June was anywhere, it was above them, watching over all those she'd loved. His eyes were drawn to the cloudy skies as he continued to speak.

'We opened the school last night' he said 'You should have seen the kids; with all the crazy, pretentious stuff that was going on, they managed to steal the show. You would have loved it' he said, laughing soflty

He swallowed, feeling a lump in his throat.

'I want you to know that I'll never forget that it's _always_ about the kids, about giving them the confidence to face whatever hardship they have in their lives... You taught me that even a damaged guy like _me_ could make a difference in the world and I want you to know that lesson did not fall on deaf ears. I promise to continue to pay it forward, just like you taught me' he continued, his voice suddenly shaky

'I brought you a keepsake' he said as he placed the photograph of the smiling children on top of the gravestone 'I wanted you to see that you continue to touch people's lives. There'll be hundreds and thousands more in the years to come and as long as I live, I'll keep the spirit of the school alive... your spirit'

His eyes returned to the dark skies and he smiled again 'I promise'

On the way back to the car, Neal felt lighter than when he'd arrived and he walked with a spring in his step. Talking to June had somehow taken a weight off his shoulders although he wasn't quite certain how that had happened.

He stepped into the car and glanced back down the row of tombstones towards June's last resting place one last time just as the glorious sun peeked out from behind a dark, wayward cloud.

La fin


End file.
